


This might get complicated

by banditglitterqueen



Series: The Fate We Choose [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Minor Character Death, Original Character(s), Soulmates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-28
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:01:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22447603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/banditglitterqueen/pseuds/banditglitterqueen
Summary: Time Travels, never a straight forward path. And neither is finding your soulmate. Sometimes it's complicated and messy and you don't always know how you're going to find them or go through to find them.---or our favorite soulmate trope where your soulmates name is on your body somewhere in there native tongue.
Relationships: Bruce Banner/James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton/Steve Rogers/Natasha Romanov/Tony Stark/Thor/OC
Series: The Fate We Choose [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1615264
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Time Traveling is Complicated](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9049372) by [Lexiepexie08](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lexiepexie08/pseuds/Lexiepexie08). 



> This is my take on the whole soulmates name written somewhere on your body. In the native tongue of your soulmate. I hope you like my take on this.

I grew up knowing my parents were heroes. That I was there hope during those five years. At least that's what Clint tells me, you see I had lost my mom in the battle for earth. But dad, he had made the choice to go back to his first soulmate. The problem this created was the fact that he had left me. I guess I understand the whole going back to one of his soulmates. Since he had lost his other. It didn't mean I wasn't still mad. My godfather Clint Barton, the man who raised me. Did a great job, even though he was quote retired. He had rejoined the Avengers a few years later when Sam had asked him to. Someone had to train the new generation. My godfather had also started training me at the age of four. He always told me that my mother would have wanted me trained, knowing the danger her enemies could bring. To say my childhood was far from normal is an understatement. But I had spent plenty of time at the Stark ranch. Almost as much time as I've spent at home; or at avengers headquarters. But I don't regret it because it prepared me for who I needed to be for the crazy adventure that took me to meeting my soulmates.


	2. Chapter one: The begining

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first fanfic so I hope you like it. I'm hoping to upload fairly often. I may edit later on down the road, but for now please enjoy the story.

The morning where everything changed. Was also the day I was supposed to get news on whether or not I would be bored certified as a Nerousergon. I had always wanted to be a Neurosurgeon, I was always interested in the brain. I had double-majored, I had been granted my Psyd for my Phycology degree a week ago. Two of my biggest goals accomplished and I am only eighteen as of a week ago. Dad had dragged me out of the house today; claiming waiting around wouldn't make the news come any faster. So we had gone out.

Nadia POV

" Come on Nadia, loosen up a bit," Dad says. " They will let you know when they make a decision." I look up from my menu. Raising an eyebrow at him. He's waving his fork at me. I roll my eyes at the actions.

  
" Am I not currently, trying to figure out what I'm going to eat," I ask. wiggling the menu at him. He sighs and shakes his head at me.

  
" Yes, but the wiggling of your foot still tells me your nervous," Dad says. Lightly nudging my leg. While smiling at me. I chuckle, pursing my lips a bit. Not actually grumpy at his actions.

" I suppose I shouldn't be too worried I already have one doctorate under my belt. I've just always wanted to be a neurologist; study the brain not just in theory since I got a degree in physiology too." I smile at him, " But to actually, operate on them. To save lives to truly know what makes a person tick." Dad smiles at me, the rest of our meal being uneventful until the very end when I get an email. Letting me know that I'm now a board-certified Neurosurgeon.

" Well, there you go sweetheart, two doctorates before you're even old enough to drink." dad says. A huge smile on his face, I smile right back at him. Overjoyed, I just wished mom could have been here to see this. I'm still somewhat mad at my father especially for moments like this. But I still have the rest of the people I consider family. Speaking of which, my phone starts buzzing, and Morgan's picture pops up on my phone; moments later.

" Dad I gotta take this it's Morgan. " I say. Standing up and walking outside of the diner before picking up the phone. " Hey, M. What's up," I ask. Leaning against the walk right outside the cafe; just past the last window.

" What's up! whats up, really that's the question you go with." She says. I chuckle smiling even though she can't see me. I'm sure she's laying across her work table or bench. Or on top of one of the counters in her lab.

" Ya' good news I got certified," I say. Still no huge emotions across my face, probably one of the side effects of being a child of an assassin. Or that I was raised as one.

" Great! Then the party that mom and I plained won't go to waste." She says. I can almost hear the gears in her brain turning. Thinking about what she needs to do to finish up for the party. " Be at the ranch at seven, semi-formal." She then hangs up. I shake my head, she had probably up to excitedly go tell Pepper that the party was still on. I walk back into the Cafe and sit across from my dad.

" Party at the Starks, at seven. A sei-formal event apparently." I say. Poping a fry into my mouth. Before taking a sip of my milkshake.

" I assume everyone's going to be invited," Dad asks. Leaning his elbows a small smile on his lips.

" Well she didn't say anything about the family but I would assume," I say. Eating a few more of my fries while we both mull this over. We had ordered a second basket of fries before Morgan called. But apparently, dad decided he was full like five minutes after we ordered it. Our thoughts are interrupted by dad's phone ringing and he heads out the door. He stands in the same spot I had when he answers the phone. just within my field of vision. I keep eating the food since we'd probably need to leave soon; so that I could go through my dresses. Not to mention hair and makeup. Especially if we wanted to stop by mom's grave. To tell her the good news before we, actually headed home. Dad doesn't take more than five minutes before he's sitting in front of me agin. Well apparently us Bartons don't really have long phone conversations, I think.

" That was Laura, Morgan called her the whole fam is invited. Though Laura was a little miffed that she had to find out that you got board certified. From Morgan." He says. I shake my head, taking a sip of my milkshake.

" Morgan never was one for surprises that she didn't set up herself," I say. Dad nods and pull's out his wallet.

" We should head out, we need to get ready for tonight. If we want to visite your mom first. The Starks won't appreciate it if we are late." He says. I nod and take my last sip of milkshake. Almost chugging it, seeing as I had, had a good bit left.

" Ya' we really should get going, I definitely want to take the time to get ready. " I say, snagging one last fry. " Though one would think that it's a party for me, I should be able to be late," I say. Grabbing my things and standing up. " And I definitely want some, time to talk to mom." Smiling a little I do really like talking to my mom even if she can't answer I would sometimes wright to her. Not that she would ever, get to read anything of it.

" You would think, but you know Morgan she will never let you forget it if you weren't on time," Dad says. I snort and shake my head. Remembering the one time I was late, and she had held it over my head for months after then. Till I made it up by making her at least fifty. Of her favorite double-decker, maple bacon cheeseburgers. With avocado and my secret homemade sauce. I nearly had to tell her the recipe for the homemade sauce.

" Mom's the same way, she would be nagging us every second we're late," I say. Following him to the register so he can pay. Which he does, and we walk out to the car. Both of us getting without another word, neither of us particularly liked talking in the car. Not that dad wasn't a chatterbox, just that he finds it easier to concentrate on driving when he's not talking. And I kinda like to zone out while in a car. So we make the perfect car companion. Mom always gets frustrated, over the whole thing. She is definitely a talker when it comes to being in the car. This isn't always a problem if we have Cooper, Lilia or Nathan in the car with us too. Since they will talk to her and I can zone out. Dad parks in the parking lot of the graveyard, twenty minutes later. Unlocking the car doors so that I can get out. Dad never does come with me. Claims he needs his own space to talk to her. I gently take the stones out of my bag. Before slipping out of the car and padding towards, mom's grave. I reach her grave, sitting down in front of the headstone. Setting the stones at the base of the headstone with all the rest I had left over the years.

" Hey mom, It's me," I lightly pat the gravestone. " I know I told you about getting my PSY last week. When I visited on my birthday, but I have another big surprise. I just got board-certified today, I'm going to be a Nurosergon mom." I pause a moment almost imagining what she would say. " Know as much as I want to stay for a while. Morgan's throwing this party and you know how she can get. But I'll be by soon, I promise mom. I'll tell you all about my first day as a neurosurgeon resident." I say. Standing up and heading for the car agin slipping in.

" Ready go," Dad asks. I nod my head, trying not to cry, I really wish I could have met my mom. But doesn't everything happen for a reason, that's what I had to believe. Even though sometimes it's heartbreaking.


	3. Chapter three: Family dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Family dinner

" You have five more minutes," Lura yells. I chuckle smiling at mom freaking out, about being late. Carefully taking care of the last piece of hair. I twist back and forth looking at myself in the mirror.

" Coming down know mom," I yell. Turning on my toes, grabbing my clutch before heading downstairs. A few quick strides, to the stairs, before I see my mom at the bottom of the stair. I smile at her when she catches my eye's from the bottom of the stair. She just looks so proud. Her face radiating happiness. 

  
" Come here give me a hug darling," she says. I bound down the stairs, the minute I reach her she wraps her arms around me. I hug her back, tight; Laura's the best for mom hugs. 

  
" Ok, you two. We need to get going before we're late." Clint says. I pull away from mom. Smiling at him, with one arm still wrapped around Laura's waist. 

  
" Ok, let's head out then," I say. I let go of Laura walking to the door with her, I open the door for mom. She walks through, and dad follows her; I step out after them. Locking the door behind us. And we head out, for the Starks ranch; which all things considered isn't' actually that far from ours. Dad had told me the story of how mad he had gotten when Tony had bought the land right next to his. Granted it's still a good twenty to thirty miles from our ranch. The eventually worked it out and even started our annual Saturday brunch. Which we had kept up, even after the fight for earth. 

" What's your plan know sweetie," Laura asks; as she starts the car up, before driving off. 

" I'm going to try, to get a residency at the same hospital. Doctor strange worked at maybe. Or possibly one closer to home. " I say, fiddling with the hem of my skirt. Looking at the mirror connecting eyes with my mom.

" So New York then, if you get that residency," Dad asks. I look up at him and nod my head. The idea of going all the way to new york without mom or dad was weird but I have to move on. To become my own adult.

" Yep, Morgan and I were talking about getting an apartment together. Living near avengers tower." I say. Thinking back to all the plan's Morgan and I had started to make. We had been talking about what we would do after we graduated. Since before freshman year of college for both of us. 

" What does Pepper think about this," Lura asks. I chuckle, I guess I should be used to these parenting moments by know. They had been happening more and more. I think it's their knowledge of the impending doom that comes with me. Graduating from college and turning eighteen.

" She's excited, I think. Pepper has been talking about moving back into the city. She loves the ranch but wants to go back to the city. Apparently, it makes it easier for her to run Stark industries." I say. Dad lets out a small chuckle. 

" Figures, she's seemed to be going a little stir crazy the past few years," he says. 

" Agreed, I think she would have moved, back to the city with Morgan. If she wasn't so worried about Morgan growing up out of the spotlight. Growing up better than how Tony did." Laura says. Looking at her husband, with a knowing look. I smile at them, as they disappear into one of there silent conversations. That they had been having since I was little. Annoys the crap out of us kids. Especially when us kids were getting in trouble. That's about how the rest of the drives goes, causing me to zone out. 

" Whatever, you choose we'll be there for you. You know that right." Laura says. We pull up to the Stark residence, several cars already in the yard. I can image the guest list. I suppose we'll see once we get inside. 

" Thanks, mom, I really appreciate that," I say. Getting out of the car, and walking towards the house. Laura and Clint catch up, and Clint walks ahead of us and hits the doorbell. Pepper comes to the door a few minutes later. 

" Hello, Barton family. Please come on in." She says, opening the door and letting us in. " Congratulation, Nadia." She gives me a half hug as we walk in. Morgan comes walking around the corner, practically tackling me in a hug. 

" I'm so proud of you sis." She hugs me a little " Both of us kid geniuses." Morgan says. Letting go and looping her arm with mine. " Come one girly it's time to party." She leads me into the living room. Where practically the entire family is there packed in; they yell surprise. Even though they all know it wasn't really a surprise. The happy birthday plus board certification banner. Makes me chuckle, of course, Morgan would find the letters to put plus board certified in the decorations. Nathan and Lilia are the first to get to me wrapping their arms around me. 

" Congratulations sis," Lilia says. Hugging me tightly, and jumping a little which makes me jump a little to not get jostled around. Nathan joins in on the group hug. 

" Ya' Congratulations, to the best baby sis ever," Nathan says. " Smarter than us all." He bounces with us for a for minutes more, before they let me go. 

" Can't monopolize the birthday girl," Lilia says. Hugging me tightly, before backing off Conner gives me a hug next. I'm passed from family member to family member. Which is practically the entire remaining core avengers; and of course the Barton family. 

" Ok, party people, let's get to the dining room. " Morgan says. Her and pepper usher us into the dining room. I end up getting sandwiched between Morgan and Peter. " Pretty dress, sis." Morgan nudges my arm. Smiling at me, with the same little chaotic twinkle. She always had when she was coming up with some new invention.

" It should be you helped me pick it out," I say. Which was true, we had gone shopping, over spring break. And I hadn't had a chance to wear the dress since then. But this seamed, like the best time as any. 

" So, Natia what is the plan know. Gonna be big Nero surgeon. Fill the void that Strange left." Pepper asks. 


	4. Chapter 4: Gift time

We had moved to the living room after dinner for gifts. There was nearly a mountain of them. I had grown to expect nothing less, from my family; especially when it came to the Stark family. They usually give a whole slew of gifts or several large ones. No matter who they were giving gifts to. Although it doesn't look as if there's an overwhelming amount of gifts so whatever Pepper or Morgan had gotten must be pretty expensive.

"Why don't you open this one first," Pepper says. Taking the one off the top and handing it to me. It's from the Hogans, the gift is a bit heavy; the box is wrapped in a pretty red wrapping paper with a gold bow. Kinda reminds me of the iron man colors honestly. I carefully open up the present to find what looks to be a custom made box. I lift the lid smiling happily it's a beautifully carved chessboard.

"There are metal chess pieces in the side that are held in by magnets," May says. I smile at her, nodding at her; lifting up the chess set a bit to look at the chess pieces. I pop one out, looking at it. It's kind of minimalist, but at the same time, it is perfect to go to the set. It's so pretty honestly. I put the piece back in and look up at May and Happy. 

" Thank you, May. Thank you happy." I say. Locking the box, agin and set the box next to me. I grab the next, box which is definitely lighter than the one from the Hogans. But a bit, bigger than the one that the Hogans had given me. It's addressed from the Parkers, in a silver and blue wrapping paper. I smile up at Peter and MJ, before unwrapping the paper, to reveal. A brand new Keurig coffee maker, and a new coffee mug and even some coffee.

" Thank you, Peter, MJ. This will come in handy when I have long rotations." I say. MJ chuckle and Peter nods her head. Setting the Keurig asides, and look at the Coffee mug. Which has one of those inspirational quotes or whatever ' Research, when you're doing what you're doing when you don't know what you're doing.' 

"We figured, as much as you sucked down coffee over your school years. That you would definitely benefit from a good coffee maker." MJ says. Peter nods his head motioning lightly with one hand at the coffee maker. " And if I know anything about science is we tend to stay up way too late working on it," Peter says, smiling at me. I move onto a smaller box this one from the Rhodes. I make quick work of the gold wrapping, to revealing a small box. I open the small box and it's a Bradly watch, which is actually really cool. Instead of a normal clock face, it had no glass over it. And because the numbers are raised and there are two little balls that mark the minutes and hours. One on the face of the clock, indicating minutes. And one on the side that indicates the hours And it all works because of the magnets.

" I figured while that might not be helpful during surgery. It would be during meetings or any other time you can't look at your watch," James says. A knowing little smile on his lips, his wife lightly punches his arm. Which makes me chuckle. 

" Or, so you don't seem rude when looking at your watch. Keeping your times important." Lonnie says. I nod my head at them. Thinking about whether or not I could wear it during surgeries but for the most part I probably wouldn't need to look at a clock, if I was just focused on the task at hand. 

" Thanks, guys, it really is super cool. And will definitely come in handy especially during meetings." I say, picking up a bag covered in little arrows. I chuckle when I see that it's from the Banners. I pull out all the tissue paper finding several surgical caps.

" I figured that you might want cute options, every day for your surgical caps," Helen says. I smile at her, she's one of my favorite people to talk to about stuff. Because she's the only one of our group who really understands the medical stuff I'm talking about. 

" And it helps so you aren't always having to wash the same cap every other day," Bruce says. I smile at Bruce and Helen, setting the bag on my growing pile of gifts; that I had already opened. I'm not trying to be rude at how fast I'm going through the gifts but there are a lot to get through. 

" Thanks, that will actually be very helpful," I say. Grabbing another box, " That speaks to my lazy side so much. It'll be nice not to have to wash my surgical caps every other day." I look at the big box with flower-covered wrapping all over it. That's from mom and dad, it's honestly kinda huge. I open the box, revealing a small jewelry box, a sloth heating pad, and a vase that has a built-in phone charger. All resting on a huge quilt. I carefully rest the box on my knees and pick up the jewelry box. Revealing a little coordinates necklace.

" It's the coordinates of where your mom's buried so you'll always have your mom with you," Clint says. I smile at him nearly crying, this is really nice. It would be like I have a little piece of mom where ever I go. 

" Thanks, Dad," I say. Gently getting the necklace out of its box. And putting in on, before putting the lid back onto the box and setting it to the side. So that I could use it to transport it latter when I pack. It would be safer for the necklace then putting it in a big jewelry box or something. I pull up one end of the quilt to look at it. It has some fabrics from a couple of other things from the house. Other blankets that had been older, and what looks like a couple of new ones. All sewed together. 

" And the other things are to provide you some comfort when you move out," Laura says. I nod, smiling at my mom, grabbing the next box. It's a shiny lilac color. It's from Cooper and Alice, this is written on a little flower cut out. I open the box after taking the flower cutout off since it's so cute. I set it in the bag with the surgical caps. I have to wiggle out another box, revealing a new professional-looking camera. Well, one in a box. 

" Oh, this is great. I've wanted one forever." I say. Of course, this makes Cooper laugh. We had, had long conversations about me wanting to be a professional photographer when we were younger. But my want and need to be a doctor trumped, the want or need to be a professional photographer. 

" We thought so, we figured you'd enjoy having it. Since you'll be going and seeing new places know." He says. Alice smiles and nods her head, leading aginst cooper. A medium box gets held out to me.

" Please open ours next," Lilia says. Holding the box, across her wife's lap to reach me. I take the box from her laughing a little bit. I take the gift from her since she was getting so excited about it. It wouldn't surprise me if she had gotten me something that she would have liked. But instead was a good sister and bought it for me. Since we generally had the same taste in a lot of things. 

" Chill sis, I'll open your gift no reason to crawl over people," I say. She chuckles and sits back in her seat, smiling at me. After I had taken the gift from her. Even though she still fidgety in her seat. 

" Just open it." She says. Nearly jumping up and down in her seat. So I do, tearing open the paper to reveal a pair of new pair of white Louboutins ankle boots. I squeal bouncing in my seat just like Lilia had.

" Fam, you got me Louboutins," I say, a tiny little happy squeal in my voice. While I talk. I can believe she got me Louboutins. 

" We figured if you were gonna be a big shot Neurosurgeon. That you should at least have one pair of shoes to look bomb on your first day." Marlow says. I pull one out looking at it, for a moment. before setting it gently back in the box. Setting the box it'self down. And grab the next wrapped gift. Which is clearly a book of some sort. And there's a smaller box attached to the top of it. Making a little tower. I carefully get the ribbon holding the two together off. Deciding to open the smaller one first. I open it, and it's an I will recuse myself pen set.

" We figured you might need a pen to wave in people's face. When they tried to tell you you can't be a dope neurosurgeon as a female and being eighteen." Olivia says. I nod, smiling at her, before setting the pens with my other things.

" That will definitely come in handy, I've already got some looks while being in school. So this will be nice honestly." I say. Starting to unwrap the other gift, which turns out to be a scrapbook, I flip through a couple of pages. It actually has some pictures from my mom and dad when I was born. I flip through a couple more pages and it goes up until know.

" We thought you might want some memories of the family when you go off to the big city by yourself," Nathan said. I smile at him, almost starting to cry. I get up and hug Nathan and Olivia.

" Thank you, guy, 's I really appreciate it," I say. I go back and sit down, picking up a tissue lightly wiping at my eyes. " This is a really sweet gift," I say. Grabbing a heftier gift, wrapped in little captain America; shields. I snort, of course, bucky would use the shield. I tear open the box, then have to work the box open, Pepper hands me a pair of scissors making it much easier to open the box. And there's a bunch of red and blue journals inside. I look up at Bucky a little confused.

" There journals from your mom and dad. Letters of sorts. They started when you were born. Since everything was up in the air at the time. They kept it right up until your mom died and Steve went back to Peggy." Bucky says. I look down at the Journals.

" Why didn't I get these before know," I say. Maybe this would give me answers about why dad left me. " Your parents didn't want us to give them to you till you were eighteen. They both thought they would be here to give them to you. But since I was holding onto them for you to read, and I thought you should grow up slightly normal. Without hearing about all the things your mom and dad went through. They tried documenting more than just the present. They wrote out stuff about there past too." Bucky says. I nod and look at the journals, I gently set them aside with the other gifts. I would worry about those later.

" Thanks for, giving them to me Bucky," I say. Picking up an envelope from Pepper. Confused on what it could be, but opening it up makes it fairly clear. It's a receipt for a hotel in Greece.

" I thought you and Morgan could go enjoy, a nice trip before you start working for your entire life," she says. I smile at her getting up and hugging her too.

" Thank you pepper," I say. Hugging her tight, before sitting back. " When do Morgan and I leave. " I ask.

" Tomorrow around three, the jet will be waiting for you then." She says. Morgan thrust her gift at me.

" Open that up, so we can go get packing," Morgan says. Which get's a chuckle from everyone in the room. Encluding me, I quickly unwrap the package. There's a jewelry box with something underneath. So I take the jewelry box out and set it on the arm of the chair. Before pulling out the candle, it has a custom friend label on it. I sniff the candle and it smells exactly, like Peppers blueberry chocolate pancakes.

I smile at Morgan, " This smells so good." I say.

" Thanks, it was actually kind of hard to find the right one. But I ended up finding a place that made unique smells for candles." She says. I nod at her grabbing the jewelry box. Opening it, and it's a green gem pendant set in a circle of intricate silver work.

" This is really pretty Morgan," I say. Smiling at her, standing up and hugging her. I step back and smile at my group of friends that I do whole consider family. " Thank you all for this, this was the best birthday slash celebration."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for getting this out so long after the last chapter. College got to me... lol.


	5. Chapter five: down with the ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long. The lack of a schedule has really thrown me off balance, pulse some issues before the whole COVID business. I also struggled with figuring out how I wanted to get Nadia where I wanted her to go.

Both Morgan and I trudge onto the plan, even though it's a Stark Jet. And left when wanted it to, well kinda. We did have a time we needed to be in Greece. We both were not morning people and I don't know about morgan but after I had gotten home from the party; I had packed and then sat down and binge-read my parent's journals. Probably not the healthiest to read all of it in one night but honestly, I needed to know. It answered more of my questions about my mom and dad in all honestly. And I hadn't gone to bed since very late this morning.

" What's got you all in your head there Nadia," Morgan asks. I look up at her, from the seat I had just plopped into.

" I read my parent's journals last night. So I suppose I'm just mulling it all over." I say. Fiddling with my green pendant, for whatever reason, it was given me calming vibes.

" Oh, I suppose that would give you a lot to think about. I wish I could get some perspective on what dad was like. You know, before he had met, and settled at the farm with my mom." Morgan says. I look at her, this was one of the many times we had both speculated about what our parents were like. The only difference is that I have a bit of a look.

" I know, I'm sure your dad has some files lying around somewhere," I say. " Maybe we can go looking when we get back." I reach forward and pat her arm. She smiles at me, her eye's a little watery.

" That would be great, and I know your wone tough cookie when it comes to research," Morgan says. I chuckle, standing up to go get drinks.

" That I can, what do you want to drink," I ask. Grabbing a dr. pepper for myself. I look back at her since she hadn't answered yet.

" Uh, a dr. pepper to please." Morgan says. Having twisted around to look at me. I nod grabbing another bottle. And walking back to her and handing it to her. Before sitting down. " Thanks." I nod, grabbing my bag and pulling out my travel chess set.

" I was gonna bring the new one, but I figured it would be a little too heavy for the plane," I say. She straightens up, setting her drink in the cupholder. I do the same before setting the chess set down.

" I agree, I'm pretty sure your mom was about to freak out. At how much you were trying to bring." Morgan says. Helping me set up, by setting up her pieces.

" I only brought one case, though I think she was actually a little more freaked out about the kinda things I was trying to bring with me," I say. Finishing putting down my pieces.

" That's definitely true," Morgan says. I take a sip of my drink smiling at her. I play my move, Morgan always plays second. I prefer to go on the attack first anyway. I had studied a few different techniques since the last time. We had played together.

" Interesting," Morgan says. Playing her move, I watch her hands and some of her facial expressions.

" I've been studying some new things," I say. Making my own moves while shifting my weight.

" You know, I think dad would have found this funny," Morgan says. I chuckle and shrug, watching her make her move.

" I agree, neither of our fathers would have had the patience to play a game like this together," I say. She makes her move and I start studying my options.

" Well yours would, but I suppose they would find a topic to talk about. So there not just staring at each other." I say. Making my move, taking another sip of my drink.

" Well, I suppose they had to have something to talk about or they wouldn't have been able to work together," Morgan says. I nod, tracing my arm over the scar on my left wrist.

" I just want to know, what a day in there life was like for real. Words are just that. Mom told one version; her version. Then I read dads and he saw it differently. I can't even start to imagine how your dad was feeling in some of those events." I say.

" Basically you want to be able to experience it first hand, and I can understand that," Morgan says. Then she makes her move, we're nearly evenly matched at the moment.

A few hours later...

" I think I'm gonna grab another drink you want something," Morgan asks. As she gets up from her chair heading towards the refreshment area of the stark plane.

" Ya' I suppose I'll have the same, a dr. pepper." I say. She nods and goes to grab drinks, while still scanning the snack options. I look down at my phone, looking at the emails I had received. When the plane's hit by something, I look up, catching Morgans' eyes. I get up just thinking that I need to get to her so at least were near each other. When the plane fully goes down, since that definitely was not turbulence. I'm thrown to the ground agin when the plane rocks and shudders. I start crawling calling out for Morgan, if I couldn't stand I could still crawl.

" Morgan, are you ok," I ask. Still trying to crawl towards her. Trying to get a little closer.

" I think I'm ok," Morgan says. Standing, up a bit wobbly, as she tries to make her way to me before the plane is hit by something else agin. And the plane splits in half, Morgan falling and hitting her head on the way down. Getting knocked out I think.

" Morgan," I yell. Still trying to crawl towards her all though it is marginally harder know that I'm kinda doing it uphill as I'm sorta climbing uphill, and was jostled backward when the plane was hit yet agin. Then the plane jostles agin and I'm sliding and there's a bright light, and I'm falling. I slam into something hard getting knicked out.

November 1, 1943 - Bucky P.O.V

I pull against the restraints when they drag in a girl. She's unconscious, her red hair is splayed across her face. She's wearing weird clothes, I can't tell exactly what they are. That doesn't matter after the men strip her of her clothes tossing them in the garbage before dragging her to the table behind me. I want to punch them for striping her, but I want to strangle them even more for whatever they have planned for her. But I guess it's a small blessing that she's knocked out at the moment.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took a little longer to get out then I wanted, but I wanted to do it right.

I wake up strapped to a bed, well shit. I try looking around, it looked like I was in some kind of medical lab. Outdated mind you; and all in this weird shade of green, some of the stuff was silver too. But overall, the lab seemed rather drab. Well grand, how the fuck did I end up here. I pull at the straps again.

" There's no use trying that, there to tight, the only way we're getting out of this one is if someone lets us free." A man says. " I'm Bucky by the way," he adds. Bucky, and then it all clicked the green flash just as the plane was breaking up. The old equipment: this must be how it had started for future me. I must be at the beginning of the timeline. Well, the beginning of the time traveling. Because there could be only one Bucky, I doubt future me wouldn’t have left out any other time-traveling times. Before I met Bucky.

" As in James Buchanan Barns. That Bucky," I ask. Trying to see if I could catch glimpse of his face. Even though logically I can’t; we’re clearly set up in such a way that we wouldn’t be able to. I had only seen pictures of him during the war. I give it a rest and look around the lab trying to gather information. My future self hadn’t given me a lot; just some things it might be good to learn.   
But my only conclusion is that yes this is where it all begins. Which means I am in for the roughest few days of my life so far. Stuck in Zola’s lab.

" Ya,' how did you know that." He asks. Sounding confused, I can’t blame him; I had asked him the question as if I had heard it from someone else. As if I already knew him, which of course I do. Well I know of him, but he doesn’t know that, how could he.

" Because I'm Nadia Sara Rodger," I say. Wincing at even having to say that; having to use Rodgers but that would be a name he trusts; a name that he had been hoping to come out of someone’s mouth. Though I don’t think either of us had been expecting this. Well, I had a bit; but not when I had first got my soul mark. I remember it like it was yesterday

Flash back <<<<

  
I woke up early like always if I was going to get a run in before school. I throw my legs over my bed getting up and putting on the work out clothes I had set aside last night before I went to sleep. I quickly get dressed, putting on my shoes before, putting my hair into a high ponytail. And heading downstairs; I grab a granola bar. Stripping it of its foil and throwing that away. Munching on my granola bar as I walk out the front door; just walking as I eat the granola admiring the surrounding land as I always did.

It had never lost its beauty even after living here my entire life. After finishing it I give myself a few minutes to digest it, so I didn’t get sick. But soon started jogging gradually speeding up; getting to my usual speed till I was running at a good pace. I start making several laps around the lake. Keeping an eye on the time and heading in with exactly enough time to grab a shower and get changed for the day before breakfast would be ready. I get back to the house and go through the side door that connects to the kitchen. I take my muddy shoes off and set them to the side. I would have to clean those up later. I walk quietly into the kitchen pulling my hair out of the ponytail. Running my fingers through my hair. Trying to get the most out before I have my shower. 

“Good morning, and happy birthday,” Cheers, my mom. As she flips some pancakes, they looked like chocolate chips and blueberries; Which is my favorite. That of course made since it is my birthday which I had somehow completely forgotten about.

  
“Good morning, mom. I’m just going to go get a shower, I’ll be back in time for breakfast promise.” I say. She nods and transfers the cooked pancakes she had just made to the pan that already had a bit of a pile on in. -- Which was rather surprising since it’s only the three of us in the house. – I snap out of my thoughts in time to see my mom close the door of the oven.

“That’s ok sweetheart, you should have plenty of time to grab your shower.” She says. I nod, smiling at her. Giving a small wave before running up the stairs. To my bedroom, I pick out a comfy yet cute outfit for the day. Since it was mostly classes. I suppose that was life, being a sixteen-year-old college student, you still had classes even on your birthday. I head off to the bathroom taking a quick shower, washing my body with my favorite lavender soap and shampoo. Before turning off the shower and getting out; I dry off changing into the outfit I had picked. And just as, I was starting to dry my hair, I felt a sharp pain along my collar bone.

I let out a soft yelp and set the hairdryer down. Pulling my shirt down just enough to see the soul mark that had etched itself across my collar bone. I rather fluid, black cursive. It looked rather beautiful sitting along my collar bone, James Buchanan Barns. Before I can fully gather my thoughts on that, another bout of pain makes its way across my hip, and I look at that one too. Sam Wilson, this soul mark was a much neater less flashy signature. Of Sam Wilson. Which fit both of them from what I know of them. My tirade of thoughts is interrupted by a sharp knock and,

“Are you ok in their kid; I heard a yelp,” Clint asks. I look at the door, unsure of whether to tell him or not. Instead of really making a decision. I open the door and show him the one of Bucky’s; a little unsure of how to share the on of my hips. He just gives a nod, “I should have known that was what it was. Did you get any others?” Although something in his eyes tells me he already knows the answer.

“Ya’ the one on my Hip, Sam Wilson,” I answer all the same. He nods and contemplates for a second.

“Got anything important to do at school today.”

End of flashback >>>

" You mean my soul mate." He says, responding after a bit of thought or shock, I don’t know. Not that I’m really surprised; finding out that your soulmate is opposite you on a torture table. Was probably rather dramatic. And has some relation to his best fraind.

" The one and only," I say. Trying to keep my voice light, even though, knowing the outcome of this; at least relatively. Since he’s still alive in the future and so am I.. But I don’t know exactly what we go through to get there, and it doesn’t seem as if it’s going to be very easy.

" Tell me one thing doll, how exactly are you related to Steve." He asks. I try not to laugh as this was probably something he had agonized over for years. At least after he had met my dad, I mean Stave couldn’t actually give him an answer because he didn’t know.

" I'm his daughter," I say, grimacing at that as well. I'd have to get over that fast if I was supposed to pretend to like my dad. Well, I suppose I didn’t have to pretend, but that would make things difficult maybe.

" Not possible, he hasn't even found either of his soulmates yet." He says. Well, that’s not a lie, since Bucky doesn’t really know that he had in fact joined the army; and should have met Peggy by know.

" I'm from the future, I was born on October 28, 1951," I say. Not exactly the truth that I was born in two thousand nineteen more than seventy years in the future. Nineteen fifty-one sounded close enough; though I had a bad feeling that would come to bite me in the butt later. But for now, I don’t think it’s exactly the time or the place for him to contemplate the complexities of time travel.

" Wow, ok. I don't actually know what to say to that," he says. I snort, I wouldn’t either; if I hadn’t already had time to process it.

" Fair enough, uh... so weird question but what day is it," I ask. Trying to crane my neck to look at him; once again. -- What’s that quite about trying things you had failed at already… something about insanity. – But it doesn’t mean I can’t try; I want to see him. I want to get us out of here. But there was nothing I can do, and it sucks.

" November 1, 1943, well I think it's the first. I can't exactly see the clock." He says. I look at it, it reads just past mid-day. Well, that was something at least he’s still sane enough to keep time.

" It's a little past mid-day," I say. Unfortunately, this means at least one full day of torture, almost two. Because if I remember right, Steve didn’t come to the rescues until later the night of November 3. I suppose Clint’s training would come in handy – I hoped the theoretical training would be enough, he had never subjected me to the actual thing. But had always said that the mental training was half the battle anyway. -- I wonder whether future me had told him what was going to happen or if he had just taken to training me; because he knew what kind of life he had lived. And had always assumed that someone might come for us.

" Well lookie there, I gaged the day right, it's hard to tell. What with not being able to see the clock." He says. That's when Zola walks in, I try to move my leg's but it's no use. They're tied down to the table.

" Hello, fraulein. Let's see what we can dig out of you." Zola says. Walking over to me, bringing a tray with some crude looking tools. He went to work occasionally muttering things, and I am suddenly glad Clint had thought to teach me tactics to deal with torture. If I hadn’t, I don't know if I could have managed to get through this. I go to another place mentally; though I suppose I could still be screaming. I felt numb as if I wasn't really there in my body.

I guess I passed out at some point because at some point I'm being woken up.

  
And there’s no more poking and prodding. No more searing pain and I didn’t hear Bucky screaming either so Zola can’t be working on him. I try to do a mental check of my body; I start with my toes and work up my legs flexing the muscles but nothing. No pain, I didn’t feel any injuries, which was weird. But I dismiss it letting it drift to the back of my mind.

“Bucky,” I say. And wait a bit, “James.” I say. A little louder almost a scream. I hear a jolt from the other table, straining against the restraints.

“Nadia.” He says. His voice sounds all crackly like he seriously needs some water. Not just that, like he had been screaming, for hours maybe. Did Zola get bored with me after I passed out? Or did he keep working on me? And had only moved on later. I don’t know, how long I had been out. So I couldn't really tell how much time Zola had to do whatever it was he wanted.

“Are you ok,” I say. “Well ok as we can be in this situation.” I try to do my calming breathing while I wait for his answer. I can almost hear him doing the same mental check as I had when I had first woken up.

“I think so, I don’t think he cut me just, electroshock. And injecting me with stuff.” He says. I grimace, wondering how all of this helps him survive the fall but it does. I guess Zola is trying to re-create the supersoldier serum through trial and error.

“I think that’s about the same for me. I’m just glad there’s no hydro boarding. That would thoroughly suck.” I say. “Granted I suppose, they would only do that if they were trying to get answers out of us.” I sigh, trying to concentrate on my breathing, listening to the sounds around me. Straining my ears to ears for footsteps or maybe something else I don't know.

“I suppose that’s a small blessing,” Bucky says. “Can you tell me any stores something fun; get our minds off of this.” I contemplate it, wondering what if anything I could actually tell him about my life. And what would be a good story for a time like this?

“I suppose, I can’t tell you specifics really. Don’t want to change the event of history and all that. But umm, maybe I can tell you a bit about my adoptive dad.” I say. Wincing realizing what I had just said could mean for Bucky especially since he thinks that I'm born in the recent future, which would mean Steave was slotted to die.

“Wait something happens to Steve,” Bucky asks a little freaked out. Shit, I honestly should have worded that better.

“Uhm, ya’ but it’s not bad, he’s not dead or anything. It’s just complicated. My mom dies, when I’m five; and you can imagine what happens to dad’s mental state after that. So, I end up growing up with my adoptive dad.” I say. I think about lying about whether or not he visited but the lies are already stacking up. I already had a bit to explain.

“I can’t imagine Steve doing that, but I suppose I don’t know what I would do if I lost you,” Bucky says. “I probably wouldn’t be in such a good place either. But go on tell me about your adoptive dad.”

“Well, the thing was my adoptive family had three older kids of their own. But my adopted father always had time for me I remember when he started teaching me how to use a bow and arrow.” I say.

Flashback <<<

“Sweetheart are you still up for learning how to use the bow and arrow today,” Clint asks. I look up from my breakfast, munching on a pancake.

“Definitely,” I say.

“I remember when dad started teaching me how to use the bow. I was so excited; you’ll have a lot of fun Nadia.” Cooper says. Clint chuckles, ruffling his son’s hair as he gets up to rinse off his plate. Cooper chuckles smiling at his dad and looking back at Me. “Just focus though and listen to what dad says. He definitely knows what he’s doing.” I nod, eager to learn how to shoot the bow. I had always been fascinated with the bow even when I was super little. So, to finally get the chance I’m filled with complete excitement over it. And to be trained by someone like Clint Barton, who trains the new avengers. The people who go out and saves the world.

“We’ll go out and train when you finish eating and get dressed,” Clint says. I nod and quickly finish eating my food.

“I should only take a few minutes to finished getting dressed for the day,” I say.

“Longer tight sleeves and jeans, and make sure to stretch,” Lillia says. I nod my head and race up to my room to get changed. Taking account of Lilia’s suggestions. I also braid my hair into a braided crown. Making sure all the little strands are taken care of so none of them would be in my way. Then I head back down nearly crashing into Nathanial.

“Careful sis. Dad’s not going anywhere.” He says. Steading me before heading off to play video games probably. I race back into the kitchen where dad’s waiting for me.

“Come on kid. Let’s go teach you how to shoot.” Clint says. I nod smiling and follow after him as he leads me towards his little shooting range set up by the lake. Mom had let him put it up only if it was far enough from the house and he didn’t leave his equipment up all over the place. So, he had a little shed that he kept all his bows and arrows in. Once we reach there, he opens it up and pull’s out a bow and some arrows. “Ok, we’re gonna get you started with a training bow, and some of the dull arrows.” Dad shows me how to use it then hands it to me. I try my best to place my hands where he showed me. And hold the arrow right. Dad has to re-adjust my hands.

“Am I supposed to do anything special with my feet,” I ask. Looking at Clint placing my feet how I think I remember him doing it. He chuckles, setting his hands on my hips and moving them where they need to go, and then moves my feet.

“Know you’ll be able to shoot with your feet pretty much anywhere. But, for now, we’re gonna practice with proper footwork. And hopefully, you won’t be in a situation where you need to not use proper footwork.

End of flashback >>>

“Wow, he sounds like a good man,” Bucky says. I could hear him shifting on his own bed. I chuckle, smiling at the memory.

“He really is, he basically made me the women I am today. I barely remember Steve; as my father and just the man everyone said he was.” I say. I try to keep my contentment out of my voice but I’m sure it slipped in just a bit. I honestly have no idea how I’m going to react to my father.

“Well, I’m sure you’ll have time when we get out of here,” Bucky says. And I can tell just a bit the hurt in his voice. I can’t imagine what it feels like. The fact that your best friend is your soulmate's father. The stack on the fact that his soulmate clearly resents her father. For something, he hasn't done yet. That had to be an awful weird feeling for him.

" You know I'll do my very best to give him a chance," I say. " I can't really fault the Steve Rodgers of today. For what the Steve Rodgers of tomorrow does." I close my eyes, trying to believe it myself, but I suppose I had to. Had to try, because I couldn't go and ruin the one chance I have of really getting to know my father. Though before Bucky can really answer Zola comes back in and goes back to work. You know it must be terrifying in his brain. How else could he think of the things he was doing know. 

At some point, my brain goes fuzzy agin, disassociating with the problem. I can just imagine hitting him, grabbing one of the multitudes of sharp objects he had to use on us and jabbing it in his eye. If only I could get a hand free, or even my feet.

Flashback <<<

I sat handcuffed to the chair, dad had built-in safety releases for me. I case I was really freaked out. But I had begged to learn this I wanted to be as amazing as my mom and him. It had taken a lot of begging and chorus to convince Lura to even let him train me. She didn't quite understand why I was so enthusiastic about learning all this. I struggle with getting the paperclip into the mechanism. But it just wasn't getting there. And it was frustrating me, how could I not get it.

" I can't get it," I whine, looking at my dad. As I let my body relax, and look at him; frustrated that I couldn't get it right. Clint looks up at me from, the book he had been reading. He set's it down after putting a bookmark in. He comes over to me crouching down in front of me. 

" You can you just have to be patient, you remember everything I taught you about how to unlock handcuffs right," he asks. I nod my head, looking at him

" I do, but it's like I keep missing the keyhole every time," I say. Frustrated at my own failure and inability to actually do something that was so simple to my dad. And he had explained it so well. 

" You just have to be patient, breathe, and just do what I taught you," Clint says. I nod, and go back to trying, it takes another hour but eventually, I get it.

Flashback end <<<

I'm jolted back to reality when Zola, turns up the power on the electric shock. I scream as the electricity courses through my body, the numbness, haven been blasted through, with the increase in power. I writhe against the table. It stops and starts going for more than a twenty-minute period. I honestly don't know how my body is holding up; I guess I really am stronger then I thought. 

"We'll leave it there fraulein, but don't worry; we'll continue this tomorrow." He strokes his finger along my cheek I try snapping at his finger with my teeth. I wanted this man's hands off me. He just chuckles at me, and just gives my face a light slap. " Oh, there is fight within you yet." he walks away from me, and through the door. 

" Bucky, are you up." I hear a bit of a grown but nothing besides that. It seems like he's out. I should honestly get some sleep. I try to look at the clock but it had disappeared. I could have sworn, there was one there, maybe I'm losing my mind. I don't have much time to contemplate that my eye's getting too heavy. I try to fight it, wanting to be at least awake long enough to talk to Bucky. But I fell myself being pulled into sleep.

_My eye's blink open and I'm back at home, I sit up the sheets and blankets fall from my body as I do. This is weird there's no way that was a dream. This had to be a dream, but how am I so awake, I have never in my life lucid dreamed before._

_"Chill out, I just wanted to talk." a woman says. I jerk my head to the side, a woman sat in the chair by my dresser. Her hair is the same shade of red as mine, with the tips a blond color. and jut to her shoulders. She is almost the spitting image of my mother during the blip. I toss my legs over the side of the bed_

_" Mom," I question. I know I'm not that out of it that I would actually be seeing my mom. In a close to death scenario, but it is her; well the image of her._

_" No, I just took the image of her, I figured it would be somewhat of a comfort to you. Was I wrong." the entity asks. I shake my head, running my fingers through my head. " Well my name is Aroa, and I am the time stone."_

_" Like the time stone that was used during the battle for earth," I ask. I'm thoroughly glad I had read mom and dad's journals. It gave me some idea of what happened during that time._

_" The very one, though that is also complicated. I don't keep all of my power in one place. Those stones were made by me and my brothers and sister. At the beginning of your universe. But they are not the seat of our power. You are actually the tether for my power know. Don't get me wrong if you die I will not. But I wanted to check in on you. You're doing very good, but you got to hold in there. " Aroa says. I rub my arms and look at her._

_" But why me," I say. Trying to think back on what I might have done in life to deserve this. Sure I was a kid genius and trained pretty well with the avenger training. But I don't know if I really had an aptitude for the whole time-traveling thing._

_" Because you are ment for great things. And I know that it doesn't seem like it now. But you'll see, you'll do great things." She pauses and looks off into space as if she can see something I can't. " I have to go, but we'll see each other soon._

Almost as soon as she disappeared and I was being shaken awake. Two strong hands wrapped around my shoulders. 

" Come on, get up doll it's time to go," Bucky says. I blink my eyes, looking up to see Bucky. For the first time face to face; this version. The one I get to touch. Instead of having to avoid since he had future me. And being around her too much would have created a paradox. I have to pull myself out of, my thoughts, and let bucky help me sit up. Then I see Steve he holds out a dress while looking away from me. I don't know whether Bucky had told him about me or if he was just that much of a gentleman. 

" She might need this." He says. So if he did tell Steve. Steve had obviously not processed it. But I take the dress, pulling it on. Surprisingly it fits, not like a glove, but well enough that I at least look decent. It fits around my boobs, and at my waist and hips.

" Do either of you see my shoes," I ask. I look up both of them turning around at my voice. I wonder just slightly why Bucky had turned but I guess he's is a boy from an era where men were actually respectful at least for the most part.

" Uhh… ya' there were these sitting there with socks in them," Bucky says. Holding my doc marten boots. I smile, making grabby hands for my shoes.

" Wow, the get rid of my pants but leave the boots. Grand of them." I say. Taking the boots from his hand and sitting down, pulling them on. 

" We need to hurry. Schmidt set the place to blow I think; at the very least people are running." He says. I look up at him and tie my shoes. Making sure there tight enough. I figure we might be doing some running of our own. 

" I'll go as fast as I please, Steaven," I say. Pulling on my other boot on and tieing it appropriately before standing. " I suppose that was rather speedy, let's go," I say. walking past him. They both walk behind me talking until we walk across a nazi running, ya' no. I drop kick him, delivering a swift uppercut and take his gun shooting him in the face.

" Where the hell did you learn that." Steve and Bucky ask at the same time. I look back at them, letting a small chuckle slip from my lip. I guess Bucky hadn't made the leap from my story about Clint teaching my the bow and arrow. Granted I hadn't even let on that Clint had been more than just a guy who liked to use a bow and arrow some times.

" I was raised by an assassin," I say. And continue walking; not giving them the option of unpacking that. That's when we see Zola and Schmidt trying to flee the factory that's falling apart around us. Probably some self destruct system.

Schmidt spots us and says, "Captain America. How exciting. I am a great fan of your films. So Doctor Erskine managed it after all. Not exactly an improvement, but, still. Impressive." he says. Reaching around the back of his neck and pulling off a thin layer of what could probably be a silicone mask I don't know. But it reveals his red skull; the side effect of the not so ready serum he had stolen from Doctor Erskine. Though he's uglier than I expected; the serum did seem to have enhanced his bones just a bit. Making them sharper somehow.

"That's gross," I said. Trying to cover up the fact that I wasn't shocked at all. I suppose the fact that I'm from the future. Or that I have further knowledge then I'm saying might come to light. But I had to keep up appearances. For now, at least, we didn't need a distraction; or anyone making a big deal about it.

"You don't have one of those, do you?" Bucky asked Steve; rather quickly and I try not to laugh. But I suppose I don't blame him. Steve had in fact told him that they had taken a serum from the same person.

"You are deluded, Captain." Schmidt starts, "You pretend to be a simple soldier. But in reality, you are just afraid to admit, ...that we have left humanity behind. Men like you. They embrace it proudly. No fear."

"Then how come you're running?" Steve rebuffs. I snort, and shake my head, pulling bucky's hand toward the stairs. Not really wanting to waste time if we were going to part ways with Schmidt. I had been scanning for a way out since the bridge had retracted. Just like Clint had taught me to.

"Come on, let's go," Schmidt tells Zola before turning around and walking away. To the elevator that was right next to them.

" Come on, I think I've figured a way out," I say. Pulling Bucky with me up the stairs. To a beam crossing to the other side of the factory. It looked as if it was unstable, but it was the only beam not blocked by debris or fire.

"Let's go. One at a time." Steve says. I roll my eyes at him.

" That was the plan, big guy," I say. Climbing up, testing the edge of it; before making my way across it was shaky but staying up. I jump off on the other side. " Come on! hurry you two need to get over here now," I yell. Steve pushes Bucky forward, they are still best friends I suppose. Bucky starts making his way across, the beam is even more rickety then before as explosions go off. And it wobbles and nearly falls. Just as he gets across I grab his arm helping pull him across as the beam falls.  
I look across at him, we had to get his ass across or I wouldn't be born.

" GO! Get out of here," Steve says. 

" Not without you," Bucky yells.

" You have to find a rope or something," I yell. Looking for another beam steady enough to carry him. I look up and he has a look of contemplation on his face before grabbing the bars. Bending them back before backing up a step or two. I push Bucky aside just as steve jumps across; he would have crashed right into us.

" Let's go." He says. Grabbing both of our hands and racing for the exit. We just barely make it as the building collapse behind us. We don't slow our speed till we get to the edge of the forest. I spot Gabe first; I only know it's him because of the few photo's Trippe had shown me. And I could see bits and pieces of Trippe in Gabe's face. The rest of the 107th and prisoners filter out of the woods.

" Only you could find a lovely lass, in a Nazi prison; Barns," Dugan says. I try not to laugh, I mean Dugan's humor reminds me of Trippe's humor. But I suppose anything Dugan does that reminds me of Trippe. Trippe got from Dugan, but this also gave me a bit of insight into what Buckys like. I had only heard bits and pieces from the others and only learned slightly more from Steves's journals.

" I'm sure you're right, but could we maybe get a move on. I haven't eaten a proper meal in like four days." I say. Which is true, Well I guess maybe three, I had eaten one on my birthday, but not the day of the crash, and the plane had to have crashed around mid-day or maybe a little later.

" Could we at least get your name, miss," Montgomery says. I look over at him, another howling commando, but the question is valid I suppose they would need my name. But I don't particularly want to give them my real last name. Especially since there were more people around who could theoretically hear whatever name I gave them.

" Nadia Barton," I say. The fewer people that knew I was a time traveler the better. Thankfully Bucky doesn't say anything. And if he had said something to Steve about who I am; then at last Steves Poker's face is really good. Though every story I heard from the remaining original avengers, said he could be a big softy. So who knows. 

" Nice to meet you, ma'am," Gabe says. Looking from me to Steve to Bucky and back. Probably putting some things together, maybe seeing some of Steves features in me, I didn't know. But Gabe was definitely putting some things together. 

" You know come to think of it. How exactly did you get kidnapped by Hydra."


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Note I know next to nothing about DNA and doctor or science stuff. So any of that stuff is probably not super accurate. Altho I'll do my best.

It took us almost a full day to walk back to the camp. I hadn't gotten a chance to answer that question. The whole how did you get kidnapped by hydra. But mostly because we had been forced to move almost the moment that the question had been asked. Since we were still technically behind enemy lines. I had kept silent and next to Bucky as much as I could. And the others were to busy running around trying to help people if they needed it. Or simply paying attention to getting there own body to take one more step.

I was miserable with the whole being in a dress while walking, friction is one hell of a pain maker. But we had made it to the camp and after a few chat's we were sent back to London. Which was what we were heading know. I'm sat on a rather rickety feeling plane, stuck between Bucky and Steve who are talking over my head. Since I'm pretending to be asleep, my head leaning on Bucky's shoulder. I'm trying really hard not to freak out, knowing the closer we get to the London base some if not all the half-truths. I had told would be reviled and I'm not exactly sure how anyone would take it. But also the longer I was here, the more I had to wonder what the plan was for me. Would I live through until the older version of me was at my birthday party? Or would there be time jumps in between? When would I leave this time period for good? Would it be after Steve went under the ice or some other time? There were just so many thoughts running through my head. Thankfully at some point, I do actually fall asleep.

Steve P.O.V

Know that we were on the plane, I looked to Bucky pointedly. He said he had some stuff to tell me. And I wanted an explanation to who this woman is and how she was related to me as the most he had said when I questioned him about her when I had first arrived. Was that One we had to take her with us. Not like I had planned to leave here there. She was clearly a civilian and a test subject. Two that the little red-headed women strapped to the table in only her underthings. Was his soulmate, his soulmate that just so happened to bare my last name and I had no clue how she was related to me. And it had all but been eating me alive since he had told me. But there had not been a proper chance to talk about it. And we had as much privacy as we were going to get for a while. Right, know here on this plane. Besides, you could barely hear anything over the engine of the plane. If someone bothered to try to listen to our conversation. On top of that most of the men that were riding with us. Were either asleep or in their own conversation with whoever was sitting next to them. So all in all we were rather safe to have our own conversation.

" Could you please fill me in on whatever you've been keeping from me," I ask. Since he clearly hadn't gotten the memo. Bucky makes a face, and I can't read him, for the life of me I can't read him. This was one of the weirdest feelings to have. Seeing as I had been able to read this man; my best friends for longer than I had known anyone outside of my family. And I had always been able to read him.

" I'll tell you but it's kind of a strange one," he says. Taking a pause and collecting his breath. And he proceeds to tell me the entirety of what had happened to him since Azzano. The story of course included the information I had been waiting for.

" So, you're telling me she's my daughter from the future," I say. Completely confused. How could I have an eighteen your old daughter when I had just met one of my soulmates, and the girl beside me did not resemble Peggy not one bit. And I could only just make out some mirroring features of myself in the redhead, that currently is resting her head against my best friend's shoulder. I suppose she could be a daughter that I have with my second soulmate which seems much more likely, though I don't know who she is.

" Apparently but some things are not adding up for me," Bucky says. A look of confusion and contemplation crossing his face. I don't' blame him, he had only had slightly longer than myself to digest everything so I shouldn't be surprised that he had come up with some questions. I am still coming to terms with it myself.

" What things," I ask. Trying to not jostle the girl as I reposition myself in my seat. Hoping that maybe some of the questions he had would be some that I did as well. So that at least we could be somewhat on the same page as each other. And maybe even bounce ideas off of each other. I just didn't want to be the only one that was as lost as I am.

" Well for one she says she's supposed to be born in like ten years’ time or thereabout. But you haven't met her mom, and you can't tell me it's Peggy cuz she doesn't have red hair or even remotely look like Nadia. Besides the fact that she's not Russian." He says. Looking down at the red-headed girl laying against his shoulder. " That's another issue, is that we are in a worldwide war. How do we make peace fast enough for there to be Russians living in New York? Let alone peacefully enough that you are having a kid with one." Bucky asks. And that fact resonates in my chest, he's right. But that also begs the question of how much farther in the future could she be if I was still her father.

" You have a point, those are some pretty stellar issues," I say. Once again studying the girl right beside me. The cause of so much simple conflict, that while a lot less stressful than a war. Is still stressing me out. " I mean we're also passing up the fact, that I don't exactly have a great track record with talking to girls." He cracks a smile at that. Because honestly up until now I hadn't exactly had the self-confidence, look, a smooth flirting attitude that Buck has. Granted, I don't quite have any of those except maybe some more self-confidence. How in the world am I supposed to woo a woman into loving me enough to marry me and have a kid? When everything about the future is up in the air.

" Well, the new look ought to help," Bucky says. And I can tell he is teasing, and even though it's in his nature; it's still a bit frustrating. I don't really think we should be joking at a time like this. But at the same time, it's a nice bit of normalcy.

" Don't be an ass man. My point is, how do we go from here to there in what has to be a little less than ten years. I mean I have to meet this mystery woman. Fall in love and propose to her, and then that's if we even wanted to have kids right after we're married." I say. Stating my worries out flat for him. He has always been my sounding board. And all this would be no different. Even though it is slightly weird that his Soulmate is my daughter. I expect like maybe a cousin we didn't know about or something. Or even someone not even closely related to me and just had the same last name, but this definitely is not what I had been thinking. But either way, I know one thing. I would be getting through this like I got through everything else. With Bucky by my side.

" And the war hasn't ended, and we don't exactly know when it will," Bucky says. I nod my head; it seems like there was no end in sight but the redhead next to me is living proof that there has to be.

" I suppose she has some answers to give when she wakes up. Or at least maybe after a decent meal" I say. Trying to remember my upbringing if my mother was alive right know she would give me an ear full if I didn't take care of her grandchild. Even though she would have a hard time believing the whole time travel thing.

"Ya' maybe after a decent meal or during, though I don't think we'll get a chance to wait that long. Seeing as Colonel Philip wants to see all three of us the minute we land" Bucky says. I sigh, he's probably right Colonel Philp has been a bit of a pain in my side, but he definitely helps get the job done that needs to be done. And maybe he really could help out with this.

Nadia P.O.V

I feel like my eyes had only been closed for a few moments we are landing with a jolt that nearly throws me out of my chair. If it weren't for Bucky, who wraps his arms around me. Pulling me to him, Steve frowns. If Bucky hadn't told him before he most definitely had told him at some point on this ride. Welp, I suppose that would have to be addressed but I know that we have to talk to Colonel Phillip.

" You ok there, doll." He asks, causing me to smile at him. Even though this is not necessarily the way I thought we would be or the way we would meet. But damn did I not want to embrace this time.

" Ya,' I was just asleep and well jolt of the plane kinda..." I kinda trail off, flashes of the crash with Morgan and me on it. " I'll explain later, right know I think Colonel Philip wants to talk to us." He nods his head seeming to understand that I'm not quite ready to talk about whatever had been going through my head. Bucky and Steve help lead me off the plane and a secretary meet's us, on the tarmac.

" Follow me, please," she says. And we do, she leads us through the building, which I guess is the same base that Stave had probably been trained in. Or at least received the serum I suppose. " Wait here." the woman says. Which kinda makes me focus as I watch her knock on a door, before peeking her head in. Probably to tell whoever was behind the door that we had arrived. I lean against the desk that we were closest to, to wait. It had been a very long day, and I really wasn’t in the mood or the mindset to stand still for however long it took, them to let us in. Stave gives me a look, and I look right back at him. Just as defiant.

“Enough you two,” Bucky says. I turn and look at Bucky, and pout I wasn’t doing anything. Stave was trying to do the whole I’m the captain and you’ll do what I say thing. Or maybe the I’m your father and you’ll do what I say. Either way, I’m not taking it.

“I didn’t start it,” I say. A small smile crossing my face, I can’t help it. It’s Bucky my Bucky the one I get to hold. And not keep at a distance because some future version of me was with him.

“Well I’m finishing it; we don’t need a pissing match.” He says. I roll my eyes and lean against his arm, still looking up.

“It’s not really that Buck,” I say. He gives me a look, like sure it’s not. But before anyone can actually do anything the same woman who had led us here tells us we can go in and I hope off the table. I’m not in a hurry to be the one to head in first but I sure as hell had to stand up. I didn’t have to worry about either of them expecting me to go first. As Steve takes the lead, not that I’m completely surprised. I somehow end up ended up between them like we have some unspoken lineup or something. The room we walk in is a lot less intimidating then I thought it would be, more like a principal’s office.

" Sit down." Colonel Philips says. I immediately take a seat; Steve takes position behind me. And Bucky sits himself next to me while we all wait for Colonel Philips to say what he had to say. Though he had yet to look up at any of us. Instead, he was reading some files he had on his desk. If I had to guess it had something to do with why he wanted to talk to us. Or maybe it was just me I’m the unknown factor here. But he knew that Bucky and Steve wouldn’t leave my side; I don’t know either way he was making us wait a hot second.

" So, what did you want to see us for Colonel," Steve says. Apparently not up for waiting for whatever little game Colonel Philip is or is not playing with us. Or really whatever other reason he had for not immediately addressing why ever he had called us in here for.

" And why is it so important we couldn't have had a decent meal and shower, and maybe even sleep before talking about it," Bucky says. I sigh, leaning in my chair a little more. Surprised at how impatient both of them are. This guy’s there superior the person they had to answer to. And they were clearly not giving him the respect his positions dictate he should have.

" I want her to explain this." He says. Handing me the file he had been reading, I chuckle. Somewhat amused that he just expected me to be able to read it. Not that I couldn’t, I flip through the papers trying to see any changes the time stone might have done to me.

_You could have just asked._

_I just might,_ I think. Hoping the time stone could hear me, assumed she could since she was in my head. I go back to reading the files. Everything looked rather normal, though there was a slight uptick in gamma rays. Which honestly is slightly dangerous, but I don’t seem to be turning into fem hulk so ya’ know. I suppose I should be ok.

" I don't understand any of that," Steve says. Clearly, he had been trying to read the files over my shoulder. I try not to grit my teeth he’s clearly curious. Having not hat had the chance to asks me any of the questions I’m sure he has. And here’s a file that probably has answers that he wants if he understood any of it.

" It basically shows that there's pretty much no way I was born when I said I was," I say. Which was true, not that it went right out and said it. It was just showed some specifics that pretty much laid it out if you knew what you were looking for. I mean the gamma signatures alone would have been a reason for them to pause and evaluate.

" Exactly, everyone. And I mean everyone I have talked to has told me that there is no way medicine will be nearly as good. As what your body is telling them you are at health-wise." Colonel Philp says. I sigh, know there’s that it was possible they hadn’t picked up on the gamma rays. But I doubt it, they should have at least been able to pick that up.

" Again, I don't understand," Steve says. Wow, how much did you not pay attention in class stave? Granted this was probably past a high school level education. He’s barely into his twenty’s and has already joined the military and gone through so much. Dame it, am I gathering empathy for this version of Stave. Because maybe just maybe this version of him is worth getting to know. This version of him is worth forgiving. Because surely even though it was physically the same man. Mentally it’s not the same man. Why did Clint have to raise me to be such a good person?

" Basically, there are some amount of healthiness or vaccines in my DNA and blood. That they would find virtually impossible to re-engineer at this point they can just identify them." I say. " And from that, most scientists and doctors know their trade and the gossip in the field to know what is probable for advancements in the near future," I look up at stave then at Colonel Philips. Neither of them saying anything but I have a feeling that statement honestly just gave Stave more questions than he had walked in here with. Know whether or not that was science-related or not; well I couldn’t tell you.

" So, you see, as far as we can tell there's no way you were born in 1951. Like you told Sergeant Barns. So, as I said, would you care to explain." Colonel Philip says. Damn it, I didn’t even think about that particular fact, that Bucky would have had to go through a debriefing once we had gotten back to the camp. Though he must have done it while they had me in the medical wing or while I was asleep. Because there hadn’t exactly been a moment when Bucky had left me alone for more than ten minutes.

" Well, the long and short of it is I'm from 2037, and well there's a lot I shouldn't and can't tell you without wiping myself out of existence or changing something so drastically it hurt the people I love who are still there," I say.

" Your what." Steve practically shouts. I glance up at him, is he trying to defend me or something. That was way too loud for this space.

" I was born in 2019, but I mean I'm eighteen so if we're being specific 2037," I say. Setting the toe of my boot against the edge of Colonel Philp's desk. Trying to not think of the extra questions that information might bring up.

" So, you are telling me you're from more than a hundred years in the future." Colonel Philp says. The only one that seems to have a grip on the conversation. Bucky and Steve were both just freaking out.

" I'm a time traveler what do you expect," I say. Shrugging, whether it was twenty or a hundred, what did it really matter what time I came from. " Not that I exactly have control of the time-traveling." 

" Why did you lie to me about when you were born," Bucky asks. Looking rather betrayed. I can't really blame him for that, I had told him one thing. And he's finding out that it's a whole other thing. But I had my reasons.

" Well one, I didn't want to freak you out, because we were already in a bit of a stressful situation," I say. Looking him in the eye's," And two, if I had told you I would have had to explain, and I didn't want to give anything away to Zola or Schmidt it was bad enough. That they were getting any other information out of me. Who knows what they would have done if they knew what time I really came from? What information they would have tried to get out of me then." I say. He nods seeming to understand thankfully. I didn't want to have a fight over this, especially seeing as I hadn't wanted to lie to him in the first place. Not really.

" Well, then I suppose the next hurdle is how do we establish you in this time period. We know you're related to Rodgers; you can see it in the eyes and a bit in the nose." Colonel Philip says. Welp, he was rather excepting, I expected it to be a least a little harder to convince them, short of time jumping in front of them. Which I had no doubt would happen at some point.

" Well I had a sister that my parents lost as a kid, Nadia should fit about her age," Steve says. I look at him, I didn't know that, granted she would have been dead by the time I was born. On the flip side, it's not like I was taught much of my genealogy at all anyway.

" And I can get the papers for that if you have the birth certificate Rodgers," Howards says. I whip my head around to look at him, he looked a bit like Tony well the pictures I had seen of him. I had seen a few videos of Howard. And he looked the same, the arrogance and confidences oozing off of him. 

" Of course, you can." Colonel Philip says. As if he is exasperated and kind of impressed all at the same time. " Well, why don't you get him the papers he needs Rodgers and make sure everything handled dismissed." I stand up more than ready to get out of here, but my eyes do linger on Howard. It's nice to have a stark near, I had come to expect their brilliance and ability to fix almost anything. So, it's rather nice to have him here.

" Why don't you two head home, while I chat with Howard," Steve says. I just stand next to Bucky, not entirely sure what to say or do without weirding out anyone including Howard. So I just let Bucky and Stave plan things out.

" You sure your actually good with that," Bucky asks. One hand on the small of my back, though his attention is clearly on Steve. Still worried about his best friend.

“Ya,' I shouldn't belong here," Steve says. Steve gives Bucky a look like there talking to each other, for a quick second before Bucky just nods his head and leads me out while Steve goes over To Howard. Bucky and I are greeted almost immediately with Peggy Carter, holding a rather large bag in her hands.

" I got you some clothes, I didn't think you would want to be walking around in those. Or to have the boys go get you something in the morning." Peggy says. Looking directly at me, which was nice. It's as if she's addressing me as a regular human. Rather than this weirdo from the future.

" Thank you, I really appreciate that," I say. Taking the bag from her, a little surprised at how heavy it actually is. " I wouldn't want to be deemed un-proper my first official day as a free woman in 1942." Both Peggy and Bucky give me a look. as if they didn't quite find my brand of humor funny at all. But she straightens out her expression. Before speaking again.

" Well see you two later don't get into trouble while you wait for Steve." She says. Bucky roll's his eye's, and I wonder what kind of trouble she could expect us to get into. But she walks away before either of us can answer her. So, Bucky just looks down at me.

" Ready to go home," Bucky asks.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to get this out, I honestly thought about just abandoning it. But I do love the concept so I'll try to get more chapters out soon.

Their home away from home here in London was given to them so they had somewhere to stay while waiting for the next mission. When we walk in I'm rather surprised it's actually rather homey. I can't complain I suppose, the place is pretty bare only really here as a crash pad so it wasn't entirely homie at the moment. Just the basic thing, basic living room, basic kitchen, two basic bedrooms, and one bathroom. It's nothing special, but as it is this is the best location for them to station us, it's where we are. Will make a home for the duration of the war. It's better than having to sleep on the base. Which I don't think would have been allowed, since I'm not a nurse. And that's about the only way a female would be allowed on base, and even then we wouldn't be in the same barrack. Plus they already had rugs and some basic books on the bookcase, and some other filler items here and there. But no personal items whatsoever; I suppose I could try to personalize it, however, I doubt I would have time or money to buy knick-knacks. I would have to try something at the very least. I want them to have comfort, even though we are literally in the middle of world war 2.

" Well this is nice, I suppose," I say. Looking around, obviously not as nice as the farm. Not that they would know that, or that a 1940's apartment could be. It definitely has none of the technology I know and love, but there's Bucky. And comfy seating, it's a standard apartment for the forty's I suppose. and it's what I have at my disposal, even though everything is confusing it is what it is I suppose.

" So, uhh. Dinner maybe." Steve says. I break out of my thoughts and look at him, but he was looking at Bucky. I suppose I'm short enough that he had forgotten I was here. It's not like he was used to me being there enough to think about asking my opinion. But I kinda wish he had shown some interest in me being here. How do you forget someone who just showed up and claimed to be your kid and your best friend's soulmate? Or even just remember he had another person with him beside Bucky.

" That would probably be for the best," Bucky says. Looking at Steve, I sigh, I don't know exactly what to do, but I do know one thing I'm kinda good at. And that's making food, it's like a piece of freedom that no one can take from me.

" I'll make it," I say. And head into the kitchen not bothering to wait for an answer from either of them. I assess what we have in the kitchen, and surprisingly it looks like we have a good stock of food. I'm sure the army wanted to keep their prize, supersoldier comfy. So I pull stuff out for some lasagna and I think we could manage a pretty good salad.

" Are you sure," Steve asks. Both he and Bucky having followed me, whether that would have been their original choice. Or I had somehow taken the choice from them. Which I suppose in some part I had. But his questions does make me snort since I had been grabbing food already. Though I don't know what exactly he noticed, since a moment ago, it was as if I didn't exist.

" I've been making food for a family of seven for a while. Granted I had help and we rotated turns most of the time. But I can handle food for three." I say. Continuing to grab things before actually starting to prep things. Honestly, I really do love cooking. It's something I had bonded over with Lura. Even though she had been the only mother I consciously remember well. Since Natasha had died before I was even five, how much memory could I actually have, it wasn't much. So there was no way for Lura and myself not to be close. But I had never stopped wondering what my mother was like, as a person.

" Would you like your help, doll," Bucky asks. I blush, working on the food. I glance up at him, honestly, he's really attractive. Any guy at school that I had ever found attractive, pales in comparison. He has to be a few years older than me at the moment. Not too much older, the girls at school wouldn't believe that my soulmate is so sweet. And handsome, he's a full-grown man through and maybe that's why no one I had ever found attractive could compare. Because he was in a whole other league.

" Nah, I'm good," I say. Even though he's sweet and very attractive. I don't particularly want him hovering at the moment. I'm still processing it myself. And honestly, there's a lot to process, not that I am having an easy time processing it.

" Umm, ok. I guess me and Buck can get settled in." Steve says. I look up at him from the vegetables that I'm prepping and Steve's rubbing the back of his neck. I once again find myself wondering what's going through his head. He's nearly unreadable, which I don't understand. I understand maybe being unreadable after years of being a soldier. But maybe he got practice from lying about being ok from being sick as I kid. I have no idea, though and I don't like the idea of not being able to read him at least a little bit.

" We most definitely need to settle in. But we still need to talk about why you're so mad at Steve." Bucky says. I look at him, giving him a weak smile. Before looking back down at the food continuing to chop the veggies.

" I'm not deflecting, that's just a bit of a long conversation," I say. Not bothering to look up again, while I work. Trying to keep my thoughts in order while I'm working.

" You hate me," Steve asks. I look up at him finally after a bit, setting the knife down. That was obvious and I had said so already, but somehow him saying it like that so bluntly as if it's finally really realizing it. His child hates him, his only child as far as he knows.

" Stop looking like a kicked puppy, you might just understand after I explain. Well as much as I can, I don't really want to change the future." I say. Except can I really, seeing as future me already did this. But honestly, I could still change the future since Future me didn't give me any real explanation of how things went down. But as I understood time travel the way the avenger had done it maybe I would be living an entirely different timeline than the one I came from. Or that I couldn't change anything because it had already been done by myself. Honestly, it's some twisty nightmare that I would have to untangle later. When I can have time to myself.

 _I promise if you are going to muck anything up I'll let you know._ \- thanks, I think to Arora.

" Um, ok then. come on Buck." Steve says. Pulling Bucky towards one of the rooms. I suppose they're used to sharing a bed or maybe someone is sleeping on the couch. Or maybe, Bucky would want to sleep next to me. That would be new, I'd never had someone that wasn't family. Sleep in the bed next to me. Or maybe he wouldn't out of respect, he's a forty's boy after all. I pull out of my thoughts and just focus on the vegetable, trying to not worry so much.

Flashback >>>

" Be careful with the flour," Laura says. I keep my hands steady, not as steady as dad's hands would have steadier. But of course, he had been practicing with a bow since he was young. I had too but I'm only twelve so, definitely not as long as dad had been practicing. Lora had finally given in when I was twelve even though Clint and I had been begging her to let him teach me since I was at least six or so.

" I am, mom," I say. Trying to not let her worry about making flour go all over the place. Since I really didn't want to let her down, since this was the first time she was letting me make bread with her.

" You know, I remember when my mom started teaching me how to cook," Laura says. I look at her, mom hadn't talked about her mom that much. Not that they were estranged or anything. So, I don't know why exactly she had never really talked about her family.

" You do," I ask. Not really wanting to comment on how this is one of the first times she had talked about her mom. So I just decided to go with something easy, furthering the conversation she had started.

" Ya' she was terrified, I would burn my hand or make too much of a mess," Laura says. This low-key makes me wonder exactly what they were making. That would make her mom worry. Plus mom never seemed to be clumsy, but she could have just been clumsy as a kid and grown out of it.

" Really. I'm sure you weren't that clumsy of a kid." I say. Putting a voice to my thoughts about her clumsiness.

" I wasn't but we were making bacon-flavored pancakes. Mom had decided that we would make our own syrup to go with the pancakes. She was terrified that I would splash some syrup on myself. Subsequently burning myself." Laura says. " I actually did burn myself, not too bad tho. Mom helped bandage me up. And she made the rest of the syrup and taught me a very good lesson that day." I shrug, don't make syrup, I think. Though making your own Syrup could be a good thing. Depending on what you wanted to make. I assumed we had never made syrup together.

" And what was that," I ask. Not knowing exactly what that lesson was, which I suppose is why mom had told me the story. To help teach the lesson, but I just don't know what that lesson is.

" That even when you make a mistake, it's ok and you can still move on," Laura says. I sigh, I should have known it was about me messing up my painting today. I had always had some issues and probably a bit, of OCD about my paintings

" And what exactly does that have to do with my cooking," I ask. Even though I have a bit of an idea of what it had to with the painting. But I wanted her to say it herself.

" Nothing, but sometimes you work hard on something and it still not work out. You'll be able to start over, work on another painting. It's not always gonna seem that bad. Mistakes are apart of growing up," she says.

Flashback end <<<

I am about to let the boys know that dinner is almost done, but my body starts getting numb. Then I feel cold and then a flash of light and I'm falling. I land hard on something probably a floor, the floor itself is metal; professional grade. But definitely not something they would have had in the 1940s well maybe not; I don't know though.

" What the fuck." someone shouts; though the voice sounds familiar, but I can't really place the voice. And I hear rustling and steps coming closer to me. Well, several footsteps and the world floor, whatever we are in.

" Nadia." Someone else questions. And I feel two hands pull me up. And I'm face to face with them.

"Steve," I question. He chuckles and smiles at me. He looks different from steve of 1940 but also the Steve I had known as a child. He's still the young Steve of 1940 but he's partially Captain American partially what you would expect of an old guy. It was just slightly different, from what I remember of him.

" Ya' it's me kid, so when are you from." He asks. I hum, that makes me think that I must have shown up before, or he just expected that I was from a different time. This makes sense since I had just appeared out of nowhere. I step back from him once he lets me go, partially still not comfortable enough with him to want to hug him for an extended time. And partially wanting to fill in the gaps of where and possibly when the hell I am. I look around confused, we seem to be in a quin jet but it's an older model I think. I had only set foot in one, in the Avengers museum.

" The first night in London, I was making dinner. Then my body started feeling numb." I say. He nods as if that made perfect sense to him, but I am confused looking around. Still, where exactly am I but some pieces are clicking together when I spot, Clint, I spin. Realizing my mother had to be around here somewhere, I finally find her she looks so young.

" How much do you know about Loki? And his attack on New York." Steve asks. I turn to Steve a bit since he's talking to me, but I also notice Clint jerks his chin at me, a certain amount of skepticism and apprehension. Which makes sense I kinda just appeared out of nowhere; however, he also must have just come out of the whole mind control because of Loki. So I suppose he is just apprehensive of any new thing at the moment.

"Why are you asking the kid Steve? Better yet how the hell did she get here." He asks. I cock my head at him, then look at Steve agin. Trying to not be a problem, ask too many questions, or whatever. Because obviously, we are in the middle of the battle of New York.

"Enough to know you'll want an extra set of hands," I say looking down at my dress. " You wouldn't happen to have another suit like Natasha's and a bow," I see sorta looking around noticing that Natasha looking at me curiously. Steve looks at Natasha, then at Clint clearly, he trusted them.

" Do you have those for her," Steve asks. Looking to them, for an answer. I have to wonder how much of what I've told Steve about Clint and Natasha color what he thinks of the two of them. Or if it's just because he knows that this is their domain. Or they had done something to gain his trust.

" Why would we want a kid to help us," Clint asked. I look him dead in the eyes. He clearly is not trusting me, which I suppose I can't blame him. But I don't remember him being this cold. Or so untrusting, at least if it wasn't some boy I was trying to date.

" Because I'm a time traveler and you're the one who trained me how to use a bow and how to fight. I just came from making dinner In Steve's house in the nineteen forties." I say. " Now do you have what I asked for or not?" I keep eye contact challenging him. Something I would have never done if It was twenty-thirty four. But this version of Clint isn't my dad, this version of him doesn't treat me like a child. So I'm not going to act like I'm his child.

" I have an extra suit if you can get changed quickly," Natasha says. Speaking up and breaking Clint and mine staring contest to an end. It would have gone on for who knows how long if she hadn't " Follow me, Clint get her one of your spare bows." she motions me to follow her, so I do. She's my mom even if she doesn't know it, how can I not trust her. She leads me out of the quin jet and down a hall into a small closet. She grabs a bundle of clothes and shoves them into my hands.

" Here change into these, there are spare boot's in that corner, pick out your size then go back to the quinjet when you are done." She walks off after that, and I waste no time stripping off my dress. It seems a waste to leave it behind. But I didn't want to try carrying it either. So I quickly change into the suit my mom provided. It fits tight but surprisingly well and it supports all the necessary areas. I don't waste time marveling, over the fit of the catsuit Natasha had given me. Although it does surprise me that the catsuit actually supports me well enough that it's actual protection. Going to find a pair of boots, I'm surprised at the wide selection of sizes, but yet again I don't let my mind dwell on that fact too much. I walk back out retracing the steps that had brought me here. I step back on the quinjet, Clint hands me a bow and quiver of arrows.

"Not as advanced as what I'll be using but it should work for you," he says. He seems so standoffish to me, god I just want to shake him. But I don't, because I can't blame him. And it kills me maybe if I knew I had more time then I would try to let him get to know me.

" Thank you, these will definitely work," I say. Nodding before finding a spot on the quinjet. Setting both bow and the quiver down, before getting started on my hair. I take my hair out of the curls they have been in all-day. Brushing my hair out with my fingers before braiding it, into a single braid down my back. And use the hair tie I had kept on my wrist from before. Tying my hair off and slinging it behind my shoulder, the others talk while I watch out the window. Steve taps my arm sitting next to me.

" You might want these," Steve says. Holding two boxes, and handing them over to me. I open the first box, it's an earpiece. Which I immediately put in my left ear. Before opening up the second box, revealing a mask. It almost looks like the classic superhero mask. Honestly, I would have liked something to cover my mouth as well. However this would work, for now, maybe sometime in the future I would actually get something I liked.

" What made you think to get this," I ask. Steve gives me a small smile, clearly nervous it’s not obvious how we feel about each other at the moment. and whether this is the first time since he had woken up in the future. If so that could be weird he can’t tell me all of what happened in the past for us, seeing as he had lived through. But I had yet to live through, and that obviously would have colored some of his view of me. But if this is that then he’s probably not sure how to navigate that.

" Well, you told me about this whole thing when you got back. And I figure if you are going to be fighting in the future, it might be better to keep your identity a secret. If you are going to be traveling all the time." He says. I fiddle with the mask strap, nodding vaguely. I pull it out of the box and put it on maneuvering it so that my hair isn't getting snagged, and it's not getting snagged on my ear peace either.

" How do I look," I ask. Steve chuckles and smiles at me, looking at me and I once agin wonder what is going through his head. I really would have to learn how to do that because I don’t like not being able to read him. I want to at the very least be able to gain some idea of what he’s feeling at any given moment.

" You look very nice," Natasha says. My head snaps to her, my mom; my mom thinks I look nice. I try really hard not to be overly giddy, no one here besides maybe Steve would understand why it makes me so happy. But it's the first compliment my mother has ever given to me.

" Thanks," I say. Smiling down at my fingers as she turns back around to the pilot seat. I fiddle with my fingers since there is no hem of a skirt or a shirt to mess with. Which would be my normal mode of fidgeting, when I’m nervous.

" She's right, it fits you," Steve says. I look back up at him, I wonder if he had told her anything or if he was actually keeping the timeline pure. Though I don't know if they ever started dating before. I just know when they had me. I watch out the window and we are approaching new york, getting here a bit faster than I thought we would have. There's a big beam of blue and white. Coming from Stark tower going straight up to the sky which had opened some kind of portal.

" Guess the planes don't fly as fast in the future. That's rather sad." Clint says. I hum, wondering how he had figured out that, I was thinking about that particular thing, but that by no means, that I couldn't give him an answer.

" Actually I'm surprised this thing actually moves this fast, it's ancient. " I say. Looking around the quinjet " The engines are so outdated, Stark built much better ones in the future." Clint sits back watching me, thinking over what I said I suppose though he could be thinking about what he was going to eat after this. I could never tell, there were just some points that he got this blank expression and I couldn't tell when he was just thinking about what I had told him about. Or if he was thinking about food.

" Stark, as in Tony Stark." He asks. I raise an eyebrow at him, sitting back just as relaxed as Clint is. Though it actually surprised me that, this was the question he came up with. Like there's any other Stark in this time period. Morgan wouldn't be born for another seventeen years.

" Well, ya' unless you know of another Stark,'' I say. Fiddling with the sleeve of the suit. "And considering Howards back in the '40s I'd be confused if ya' did." I couldn't mention Morgan, Tony would more than likely have some questions if I did. Even if Tony knew that Pepper is his soul mate, from the story's it took them a while. But I couldn't tell how the news might affect Pepper. If I decided to tell them, her or Tony individually whichever.

" Fair enough." He says. Walking up and sitting in the co-pilot seat next to Natasha. And turning around to focus on what was ahead of us. I suppose so either of them could use the weapons attached to the quinjet. I strap myself in and secure my weapons, on the off chance we have to make a rough landing.

"Stark, we're on your three heading northeast," Natasha says. My fingers are itching just a little bit to be helpful but there's nothing I can do on the quinjet and we're much more effective with the quinjet in the air than any of us stepping out of the quinjet at the moment.

" What did you, stop at the drive-through, or something. Swing up Park, I'm going to lay them out for you," Tony says. I snort, typical Stark snark, really they should trademark it. Clint fire's off several rounds at the aliens. " Who else is on that plane with you, cuz I'm sure Natasha wasn't the one snorting at my snark," His skepticism is clear in his voice if I remember from all the story's; Tony wouldn't have been close enough to any of the avengers for them to find his particular brand of snark funny. But he did have one hell of an ear, though to be fair we were probably within range for our comms to connect.

" That would be Nadia Rodger," I say. Leaning forward, a bit registering the sock from the others. Meaning that Steve probably hadn’t told them that one. He had a daughter, and two they truly didn’t know the real implications of that fact. Because they wouldn't’ have had real-time to think about who the mother might be.

" Wait, Cap's kid," Tony asks. The surprise in his voice is rather evident, and I just barely register Steve's face before I answer the banter with a Stark easy and simple; as I would have with Morgan.

" The Very one," though I catch the implication, he knew Steve had a kid even when the other’s didn’t know.

"How'd you know that," I ask. My brain, finally catching up with my mouth and actions. The fact that I was bantering with Tony, my best friend's dad; and the fact that I just made everyone aware that I am Steve's kid. Or that Steve has a kid, whichever you want to focus on.

" I agree with that Stark, even we didn't even know," Natasha says. I glance up at Natasha, so I was right Steve hadn't told them. Or I'm sure Natasha would have known, and honestly, I'm wondering how close to the vest Tony had been playing this knowledge if Steve didn't know that he knew. But that still raised the question of who had told Tony.

" Dad, he talked about her all the time. According to him, she's the smartest person he's ever met. He even conceded that she might be smarter than him at several points." Tony says. I barely get to process that, when Clint cry's Natasha's name out in slight panic. Though to be fair you would have only noticed the panic if you knew him.

" I see him," Nat says. The encounter had made me look up; Just in time to see a beam of blue light and we are suddenly falling blasted out of the sky. It's not a smooth landing either, we are somehow coasting, the only thing I can think of is that the blast hit one of the engines but didn't damage the wings. Before we hit several buildings on the way down before finally slamming into the ground. I grip the straps of my seat just a bit tighter for a moment before quickly unbuckling. We would have to take action rather fast now. Since we are on the ground vulnerable to attacks.

" We got to get back up there," Steve says. As we run out of the quinjet, I take the opportunity to look up. I'd have to estimate us to be a couple of blocks from Stark tower, I look up even further to look at the whole in the sky, several more alien's come spilling out, a big flying whale worm-like alien comes out flying directly over us. But it's almost like a mother ship or something as several aliens are deployed from its stomach.

" Stark, are you seeing this," Steve asks. As I notch an arrow watching the aliens that surround us. This would be a very long day or very quick battle that seems long.

" Seeing still working on believing, where's Banner has he shown up yet," Tony says. I kinda start making connections from the story's I had heard, about what happened but, of course, I can't say anything. While being smack dab in the middle of it, without risking something messing up.

" Banner," Steve asks. Definitely confused about where Tony's head is at, while I do have some knowledge of what's gonna happen. I also know Starks, so I'm pretty sure I would have been able to figure it out either way. Whether I knew about the history or not, I can just read Starks.

" Just keep me posted," Tony says. As he flies around blasting things. The rest of us jump into action, killing Aliens as we try to get closer to Stark tower.

***

" We got civilians trapped in those buildings," Clint says. Shooting an alien in the face, I end up stabbing one with a spear after it had gotten a little too close to bother shooting. Even though theoretically I could have shot, but hand to hand combat works.

" Loki," Steve says. As Loki flies over us shooting at civilians. As if none of the rest of us realized it was Loki. " Their fish in a barrel down there." I look over his shoulder over the bridge where civilians are trapped a level lower than us. Well, he's not wrong, I shoot an alien that is working its way towards us.

" We got this, we're good, go," Natasha says. She blasts an alien that had gotten just a little too close. I shoot one in the face, then punch another.

" Think you can hold them off," Steve asks. I jump onto a car to shoot at the Alian's flying over the top of us. Kicking one in the face when it came at me, I shoot a different one in the face.

" Captain It would be my genuine pleasure," Clint says. He crouches down by an upturned cab. How he is framed kinda makes him look like an angel. Not that I would actually make that comment, I still wasn't’ sure where exactly I stand with them at the moment; which makes it rather hard for me to banter with them.

" We'll be fine Cap. Go handle that." I say. Jumping down and getting some cover from a blast from an alien flying above us. Natasha's the first of us to stand up after the last round of blasts. From the aliens above us.

" Just like Budapest all over again," Natasha says. Shooting Several aliens as they are coming at us. Clint is almost just as fast as she is standing up, and gives Natasha back up.

" You and I remember Budapest very differently," Clint says. I giggle, I never truly realized how close they were, of course, I heard stories about there adventures they had. And about the fact that they were friends, but witnessing it is a whole other thing. I stand up and start firing on aliens, firing faster than Clint. Dad always did hate that I managed that. " You shoot pretty well, kid," I snort and keep shooting, jumping on top of a car sliding across, and kicking an alien in the face.

" I did say you were the one who trained me," I say. Flipping back over, and shooting another alien. Shootin' one who was about to get Natasha.

" Oh, ya' I really want to know how that came about." He says. I nod, sliding the bow over my shoulders, and grab one of the staff's. Using that instead since they're getting closer agin.

****

At some point, Steve lands back beside Clint. I wonder how far he had to go to get back up here from the level below us. I’m distracted a moment later when lightning rains down around us hitting several of the aliens, as Thor joins the fight down here on the ground. I watch him, he seems a lot more flamboyant than he did when I talk to him last time. But I suppose this is early on in his interactions with Earth, and its people. Plus he hadn't gone through as much as he was about to, his next few years are going to be a lot to go through.

" What's the story upstairs," Steve says. Looking at Thor, during this small lull in the fight, giving us time to breathe just a bit. Which I do, taking the time to catch my breath and stretching a little bit. While keeping an eye out for aliens coming at us while also, listen to the team talk.

" The power surrounding the cube is impenetrable," Thor says. I look up at the tower, I could at least let them close it but then we wouldn't have the nuke to hit the mother ship. That technically means we would have to fight way more aliens. I wouldn't be that helpful in the long run, with that comment.

" Thor's right, we gotta deal with these guys," Tony says. That is not what he said, but it got to the point, we had to fight the aliens down here and keep the civilians safe.

" How do we do this," Nat asks. My eyes travel to her, my brain finally catching up with the knowledge that I have of her. She's a spy first and foremost a spy, fighting like this and figuring out strategies for a fight like this. Is not her biggest skill set, though she’s handling herself well.

" As a team," Steve says. Damn that so cliques, I still wanna know how he became the clique good all American boy. Or why he finds it easy to spout out clique lines like that.

" I have unfinished business with Loki," Thor says. That was fairly obvious not that I would say anything. Know wasn't the time to get on the complexity of their relationship and how I know so much about their relationship.

" Ya' well get in line," Clint says. I hum, I don't blame him for having some unfinished issues with Loki, I'd want to hit him or even kill him too. If he had used some mind control shit on me too.

" Save it, Loki's going to keep this fight focused on us, which is what we need. Without him, these things could run wild. We got stark up top, he's gonna need us to.." Steve gets cut off as Banner shows up on a moped Which also didn't give me time to argue with him, Loki wasn't necessarily the only thing holding the aliens here. I'm pretty sure they'd stay for the fight.

" So this all seems terrible," Banner says. Looking as if he had already had a bit of a hard day. Which I suppose he probably had if I remembered correctly, he had gone through a lot today.

" I've seen worse," Natasha says. I turn to her, watching her for a moment trying to remember what went down. And if I remembered correctly; the hulk nearly smashed her, because she was dropped down to a lower level with Banner. Before he turned into the hulk and started smashing and destroying the ship.

" Sorry," Banner says. Looking sheepish, which very much lines up with the men I know in the future. Shy, reserved, and kind though I'm sure he has a lot less control over the hulk than he does in the future.

" No, we could use a little worse," Natasha says. I don't know about needing a little worse, but I would say we need a little hulk. Which I think is what she is alluding to. Which I don't disagree with, the hulk would be rather helpful at the moment.

" Stark, we got him," Steve says. I glance up looking to see if I can spot Tony, which I haven't at the moment he's probably flying somewhere above us.

" Banner," Tony asks. I roll my eyes who else would it be, and how was Tony the only one that had expected Banner to show up. I mean I suppose Fury may have.

" No, David Bowie." I snap. Steve jerks around blinking at me but continues with what his answer was going to be anyway. Since apparently, we didn't have the time for my sarcasm.

" Yes, it's Banner," Steve says. There's a beat of silence, whether Tony's thinking or, trying to process both of our comments. 

" Just like you said," Steve says. Keeping us on track, I mean I can't blame him, we are in the middle of a fight with a bunch of Aliens and a Demi-god. Even I don't think this time for lots of banter.

" Then tell him to suit up, I'm bringing the party to you," Tony says. Ah, shit this wasn't going to be great. Because I'm assuming Tony's gonna bring the big ass wale alien to us. Which he does, coming around the corner effectively coming into view with the whale-sized flying alien trailing.

" I don't see how that's a party," Natasha says. I chuckle, I mean I kinda have to agree, but I also can sorta understand where Tony's coming from you have to understand him and his humor.

" Dr. Banner now might be a really good time for you to get angry," Steve says. Sounding a little bit worried as Banner steps towards the whale alien thing. Rather slow, not necessarily or worried. I'm not worried I know the secret I know how he handles the whole thing. Well at the very least I know how he handles it in the future and a little bit of what he had said when we talked about the past.

"That's my secret Cap, I'm always angry," Bruce says. Turning around and turning into the Hulk. He punches the whale alien thing, and Tony shoot's the big alien making it come down.

****

" Call it Captain," Tony says. Landing down into our little circle, I look around not just at him, but at what's around us. As it seems that there's some calm in the fight; the aliens aren’t really attacking us for some reason.

" Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal our priority is containment. Barton on that roof eye's on everything, call out patterns and strays. Stark you get the perimeter anything gets past three blocks you turn it back or you turn it to ash.'' Steve says. I mean that's rather a good plan, it's the only plan we have really and Steve is the man with a plan, and I didn't have a different plan. I'm sure none of the others did either, I mean Clint and Natasha are spies, Tony and Bruce are technically civilians, Thor isn't from our world. And well I'm technically a civilian too, raised by an Assassin. With a little bit of Avenger training, but Steve is the only one that has any training planning out a fight.

" Wanna give me a lift," Clint says. Looking at Stark, after Steve had given his orders.

" Better clench up, Legalos," Stark says. Before grabbing Clint and blasting off to the top of the building Steve wanted him on.

" Thor you got to try and bottleneck that portal, slow them down. You got the lightning, light the bastards up. You three and me we stay down here, keep the fighting here. And hulk.." Steve pauses, pointing at Hulk "Smash." he says. Hulk grins at him and goes off to smash things. After that we have to focus on fighting, I fight, besides Natasha and Clint. This feels surreal, I never thought I would be fighting beside my mother. I can't tell whether she is surprised that I fight as well as I do. But I can't focus on that now, I just focus on the fight. Surprised at how Steve was able to cover my vulnerable spots, not that there were many. There's not really lul in the fight, after that. But there is a slight slow down, not by much; when Clint speaks up.

"Captain, none of this is gonna mean a damn thing if we can't close that portal," Clint says. He's not wrong, if they just keep coming the seven of us aren't really going to be able to handle all of this, and besides the inevitable nuke that I know is coming. It didn't seem as if SHIELD is going to help whatsoever.

" Our biggest guns couldn't touch it," Steve says. I roll my eyes, Tony and Thor, or even the Hulk are not technically the biggest guns we have if SHIELD would help. But they are the biggest threats we have on the team.

" Maybe it's not about guns," Natasha says. She's looking up at Stark tower. Well at where the Tesseract is, and she was right if we couldn't close the hole in the sky, that was allowing so many aliens to continue streaming through. Well, we wouldn't be able to end this.

" If you want to get up there you are going to need a ride," Steve says. Picking up on her meaning, maybe he was thinking about that too, maybe he was just that good at picking up on the subtle nature of Natasha's communications.

" I got a ride. I could use a boost though." Natasha says. I blink, she has a ride, I glance around while still fending off aliens. The only thing I could think of was she would use one of the flying aliens which couldn't be what she was thinking about. Or could it, I mean it's a viable way to get up there. However, it's also dangerous. What if she couldn't control the alien, what if she fell. There were so many issues but we also didn't really have a lot of other options.

" You sure about this," Steve asks. She nodes getting in a position to run, I fight off some aliens to allow them to actually make their moves.

" Ya' it'll be fun," Natasha says. I hum, I doubt it will actually be fun while she's actually doing it, but maybe when she looks back on it. I turn to shoot another alien and I start glowing. Shit not know. I just catch Steve's eye's before I disappear, appearing back in Steve and Bucky's apartment. I look around noticing that it seemed I had only been gone maybe a minute. Good shot by the time stone I suppose. Bucky comes around the corner and looks at me surprised. I look down, well shit.

" What the hell are you wearing," Steve asks. His face looking like he had either been punched in the gut or extremely shocked. Which I suppose the shocked one might make sense, they leave me for like twenty or thirty minutes and come back and I'm standing in the kitchen in a skin-tight outfit.

" I don't mind it," Bucky says. Steve glares at him, I don't know exactly what is going through his head. His brain is probably short-circuiting from the original shock of seeing this outfit. And some partial pull towards protecting his daughter.

" Sorry, um I got sent to the future. And had to help with a fight, and this was kinda the outfit." I turn towards the food, " If you can plate this I'll go change." I say. Steve just nods, and Bucky smiles at me.

" I don't mind the look. But we can definitely take care of the food if you really want to change." Bucky says. I nod my head at him, and head, off to my bedroom, well what they had designated as my bedroom. I find a simple dress something that would be good around the house. I head to the bathroom, happy to find some bath things. I'd definitely have to take a better shower later, but for now, I could just get some of myself clean. I peel myself out of the catsuit and boots. Stretching a little, thankfully most of the dirt is left to my upper neck, face, and hair. I wipe my neck, shoulders, and face before brushing out my hair. Putting it up in a high ponytail after, I twist and stretch to make sure I'm not injured. While I definitely have bruises, I somehow managed to not get stabbed. Which bodes well for the rest of the night. I pull the dress on, buttoning it; then debating whether or not I need to put on shoes but decide against it. I walk back out to the little dining room area. To see the food all on the table and both men waiting for me just chatting.

" Don't you look cute," Bucky says. Steve smacks him, but motions for me to sit down with the other hand. I hum, debating what I would tell them about the fight I was in. You should write it down, so as not to spoil things. And then you can tell them the bare minimum.

" Um... So as for where I just was, I can't tell you much just that it's a future fight, and I was helping some friends." I say. Just bulldozing into the explanations side of things. Not knowing how to take Bucky's complement even though he had complimented me twice now on my modern-day outfits. Somehow him getting complimented in, a more time period-accurate, outfit. Had made me even shyer. But when I look at Bucky he’s just nodding as if the exclamation makes sense to him.

" Makes sense," Steve says. " But you can explain, the whole you hating me thing; know." Steve taps his fingers against the table while getting some food. And just kinda stares at me, just waiting for me to start talking. Clearly caring less about a future fight than me hating him.

" So, where do you want me to start," I ask. Setting my fork down, picking it back up the minute I had set it down, not entirely sure what I should do with my hands. I really shouldn't be this nervous.

" At the beginning, that's always the best start," Bucky says. I nod, taking a deep breath, sticking my fork into the food on my plate. Before racking my brain for where the real start was; but I suppose the start they needed for this particular explanation. " Well, the real start was at twenty-eighteen. That's when the war for the world started. Well like really started, that's when you guys became aware of the real big bad. And no I'm not giving you a name." Steve pouts, and munches on his food, clearly this had been the question he wanted to ask.

" He had been working behind the scene, manipulating smaller baddy's you went up against. So basically a teammate of y'all's teammates had got stuck in space like three years before." I pause, taking a sip of my drink. Letting them process what I had just said. Because honestly them having a teammate in space was already a big curveball for them to digest.

" We had a teammate stuck in space for three years," Bucky asks. The look on his face was part astonishment, part confusion, and part wonder. I shouldn't really be surprised since he was definitely a big science nerd even if the history books didn't fully show that.

"And how does this get to you hating me," Steve says. Clearly not as fascinated with space as Bucky, and also very much impatient to get to know why I hate him. I can't blame him, now that he's sitting down and actually listening to me, he clearly wants to know as fast as possible.

" Ok, one of your teammates was in a spaceship that at some point crash-landed on a planet, I think. And two if you'll listen to the story we'll get there Steve. Anyway, so your teammate came back but crash-landed in a wizard's house. Ya' I know an actual wizard. They went and got Howard's kid, yes he settles down and has a kid. Anyway, they find Howard's kid and almost immediately get attacked by aliens the wizard gets taken. And Howard's kid follows him. anyway, a fight ensues and things fall like dominoes to the end of the fight and the bad guy does his thing and goes through with his plan." I pause and eat some food before continuing. " So, that's when I come in well somewhere in that year, cuz you Steve start a thing with your other soulmate, my mother. Get prego with me and for four years you guys were good. We were happy, well I was tiny and barely remember that part. But then time went by and someone came along that had a way to fix everything. Then through fixing everything mom died, not that I knew that till the battle was over." I say. Kind of trailing off shoving food in my mouth so they can process and, secondly I’m just rather hungry.

" But why and how did she die," Steve asks. I give him a look that I hope tells him I am not going to answer that question. How he took it I didn't particularly care, It's not like I can tell him all the details. Seeing as it could fuck with the future. He just frowns and stabs a piece of lettuce on his plate, shoving it in his mouth. I give him half a beat before I continue with my rather vague story.

"And then you guys had to return the thing that helped you set things right. And this is where the I hate you part comes in because you went back in time. Because Howard's kid built a time machine and you came back to this time or thereabout. And you left me, you left your four-year-old without her mother to come back to Peggy." I say. Glaring at him, gritting my teeth ever so slightly. Watching him maul over the information in his head, Bucky too.

" Sorry," Steve says, he doesn't continue but it's as if it's the only word he could get out. I honestly don't know if his apology matters to me. I don't know when or if I would accept it.

" You left me and didn't look back like I never mattered to you," I say. Shoving food into my mouth. At the last words not wanting to face the emotions that were bubbling up even though Steve clearly did. Or he wouldn't have apologized, but he still looked as if he was trying to figure out what else he could say.

" Steve, I think I would have hated you too. But the better question is why didn't I take care of you." Bucky asks. I raise an eyebrow at him, fair enough he was my soulmate something in him would want to protect me. I don't exactly know-how that would work. But I suppose soulmates can be many things, not just lovers.

" Well, one, there's a future me. So you were with her, well me. Uhh, that is complicated. So you, raising me would have been a bit of a complication or paradox I'm not sure. And you weren't my godfather Clint was, mom wanted him to take care of me." I say. That didn't even delve into the weird psychology of him raising me and being my soulmate, but wanting to take care of me or at least ask why he hadn't. Was some sort of knee-jerk reaction.

" And I made that decision even with that future you, the you who is in front of us there. After you had told me all this and I still made that decision." Steve says. Not quite computing the decision, I suppose it makes sense he hadn't experienced all the things the future version of him had. Hadn't had all of the time the future version of him had to figure things out for himself.

" Well, I think that future me probably forgave you and gave you her blessing. I don't know, but I guess that's probably why." I say. Which I'm sure I had, something tells me I'm going to have way too much time to actually think about what Steve had done, and exactly what those implications were for me.

" And future me wasn't mad at him," Bucky asks. I chuckle, I suppose that makes sense that he would want to know how he felt and I wish I could give him a better answer than the one I can. I want to give him all the answers I could; honestly, I had waited years to get the chance to have him. To have my version of him, that the future version of myself had promised me I would have. It felt like an eternity since I had had that conversation.

" I think he might have. But I don't know, I was never told the breakdown of everything. I just kinda got the overview and outcome."I say. A truth, that had always frustrated me, though now that I was in her place, not going through time linearly. Or even if I was, I knew quite a lot about the future or the future I left; that was also somehow my past. I honestly don't know what would extremely affect the timeline and what wouldn't. Would I somehow make the decisions the future version of myself had made? Or new ones and changed the future, well making my own timeline I suppose, or had this looped the original timeline, I‘m not entirely sure.

" Well, I hope you'll at least let me get to know you know. And allow yourself to get to know me." Steve says. I hum, I suppose I did have to give him that, have to get to know him. Set aside my hate, and get to know the man in front of me; not the man he's going to become. The man who made the decision that had left me an orphan.

" Ya' would make a weird situation even weirder, if you resist getting to know him somehow. Or just hold a grudge" Bucky says. Reaching his hand out to me, I can't help but take his hand. It dwarfs mine, strong, his fingers rather long but fits him very well. And I can feel at least a few calluses; honestly, it surprises me he's a rich boy. At least from this time period. So it doesn’t honestly surprise me that these hands have seen work. I can't help but smile, his hand fits mine perfectly even though it's much larger making my hands look tiny. It fits my hand somehow, and it makes me happy.

" I think I can be ok with that. But I can’t really make any promises." I say. Turning my hand over so we're palm to palm gently tracing my middle finger along his wrist to his palm. Smiling at him, before Steve clears his thoughts, looking at the table clearly not entirely sure how to feel or react to Bucky and I's actions.

" That's all we can ask," Steve pauses, still looking at his plate" That's all I can ask." He says. Somewhat retreating into his own thoughts while still in the conversation it's a weird combination honestly. I don't know if I'm sure how to take that honestly.

" Ok, good can we... Can we move on from this vein of conversation?" I wave my free hand as if the conversation is a tangible visible thing I can wave off.

" It's kinda awkward and it's kinda weird the whole talking to my dead father and soulmate. And I'm in the '40s." I say. Which is true, and all though I'm enjoying having Bucky's hand in mine. But everything does feel a little weird, on top of not really wanting to deal with all of the feelings that are trying to attack me all at once.

" Wow, ya' that does have to be a little weird," Bucky says. Letting go of my hand so that he can go back to his own food. I frown a bit, but understand, eating with one hand is not the most ideal. But that doesn't mean I don't miss holding his hand.

" I mean the time-traveling alone is weird," Steve says.


End file.
